Burnt
by Catsrawesome
Summary: Sorcery in the kingdom of Olympus is dangerous. But it never seemed that way for Harley and Leo. But when Leo goes too far and almost kills Harley, he vows never to use magic again. Harley never knew why his brother suddenly shut him out until Leo looses control once again and runs away. Will Harley be able to find Leo and save Olympus from becoming ash? A HOO Version of Frozen.
1. Prologue

**I just thought of this last night and HAD to write this down! I WILL UPDATE MY OTHER STORIES! **

**So, I will be using Frozen songs and I will change them to fit with the theme. However, there was no need to change 'Frozen Heart', so I didn't. I will change 'Do You Want to Build a Snowman' in the next few chapters.**

**So, enjoy the prologue!**

**Update: I have gotten some reviews on copyright and that sort of stuff, so I have edited out Frozen Heart. However, I will still be using my own parodies of the Frozen songs. Thank you!**

The clopping sound of approaching hoof beat broke the silent night, each step like a hammer persistently trying to hammer in a nail. The two horses' labored breathing were the only accompaniment to the rhythmic noise. The seven riders, however, were as still and silent as the crisp mountain air.

The cart the horses were pulling bumped gently along the icy path, but it didn't faze the seven riders. The riders themselves were six children and one adult chaperone. The man was silently snoring, the rocking of the cart like a lullaby. The other passengers, however, couldn't have been less tired. Every now and then, one of them would occasionally glance out the window. Suddenly, one of the children stood in his seat and pressed his head to the glass, much to the annoyance to the other kids. This seven year old boy had ruffled, jet-black hair that quite stood out against the white and blue of the outside. His sea green eyes gazed back at him, showing excitement and impatience.

"Percy!" exclaimed one of the girls, a blonde with stormy grey eyes. "Get down from there! I want to see!"

Percy completely ignored her, much to the girl's displeasure.

"Annabeth, you know he isn't going to get down," said a blonde boy with brilliant blue eyes. If he was at all irked by Percy's behavior, he didn't show it.

"But don't you want to see?" argued Annabeth.

"We all want to see," said a pretty girl with messy chocolate colored hair and unique eyes that constantly changed color. She, like the blonde boy, was also hiding her impatience.

"But Jason has a point. Just let Percy have his turn."

"You know he won't get down anytime soon!" huffed Annabeth, crossing her arms.

"Annabeth, why don't you read a book?" asked a girl with dark skin and golden eyes. "I have your favorite right here!"

The girl held up a thick novel that had to be at least a thousand pages. Annabeth's stormy eyes lit up for a moment like the clouds in their depths had just flashed lightning, and then she once again turned her attention to Percy. "No thanks, Hazel."

"Ok, I'll give it to Frank."

She turned to give the book to Frank, a chubby little boy with a buzz cut hair style. But taking the book was out of the question for him, for he too was snoring with his head limp against the wall. Hazel tried to shake him awake, but he stayed defiantly unconscious.

"I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!" Annabeth suddenly shouted.

The children jumped. The loud voice of the eight year old also managed to wake up not only Frank, but also the adult.

"DIE!" he shouted, flinging his arms everywhere in a vain attempt to hit something in his mind's eye.

The children, of course, were terrified, and they all tried to get as far away as possible. Likewise, Percy scrambled from his spot in front of the window to sit next to Annabeth.

"Go away!" Annabeth protested.

Percy didn't listen, and Annabeth began to wonder if he was becoming deaf.

"Cupcakes," began the adult as he stood up in his chair. For any normal man, rising from his chair would have been nearly impossible, but there was a fine distance between the floor and the man's curly head, for he was quite short. "What did I tell you about waking me up?"

"Sorry, Mr. Hedge," five voices chorused, looking down at their feet.

"Sorry, Coach," said Percy, his head likewise held down.

If Percy hadn't spoken the tiniest bit late, he wouldn't have been heard. Unfortunately for him, it was.

"What did you say, Cupcake?" demanded Hedge.

"Nothing, sir." Percy's voice suddenly seemed very small.

Hedge gave a satisfied grunt, and then looked out the window. This time, Annabeth held her ground.

"We're here," he said, grabbing his club from the seat next to him.

It took a few seconds for the children to process these words, but when they did they all started to push each other to get outside. It was a miracle that no one got trampled. Soon, they were all out before the cart had even stopped.

The children gazed awestruck at their surroundings. They were at a small, circular pond. Pine trees surrounded them from all sides, except for the path they just came in. The sun was just rising from the east, casting light in the woods. The ice and snow seemed to glow orange, like it was on fire. It was beautiful.

The children rushed to get their tools from the back of the truck. This had been the dream that brought the six of them together. Even since they were toddlers, the miners at this very pond had fascinated them. This had been what they wanted to do with their life, and still did.

There were already a few miners here, but they had yet to begin. They had just taken out their saws, and the kids held their pickaxes and waited with the same impatience they shared in the cart. Suddenly, the first miner took his saw and plunged it into the ice with a great _crunch!_ The kids watched with fascination. Soon, the other miners joined in, creating a rhythmic sound almost like music. The miners began to sing in sync. The song was both rhythmic and joyous, reflecting on the mood of the merry ice miners.

They started to use grabbers to pull the chopped ice out of the water, and the children took this as their cue to join in. Luckily, there were plenty of smaller cubes that they could probably be able to grab. But the ice was slippery, and the little friction they had made the job almost impossible for them. But they weren't discouraged. They seemed to be having the time of their life. They joined in on the singing.

By now, the sun was beginning to set. The entire day passed quickly for the children. Lamps were being lit all around them, but they kids didn't turn away from their work. The men were still singing the song as they worked.

With a great heave, Percy managed to hoist his cube out of the water. He looked extremely pleased. The other kids were shocked, Annabeth most of all. They once again tried to grab the slippery ice cubes as Percy ran over to grab the sled.

By now, the miners had finished their work and just finished loading up their carts with slabs of ice. Hedge himself had gotten himself a handsome amount and got into his own cart. Without thinking, he flicked the reins of the two horses and forgot the children.

"Wait!" yelled Hazel.

But before they knew it, he was gone.

"That's just great," mumbled Frank.

"He wasn't really our dad, was he?" said Piper, "Why would he care?"

The kids all felt miserable.

"Hey, look at the positive side!" said Percy. "We can stay here as long as we want and mine more ice!"

"How did you get the piece out anyway?" asked Jason.

Percy smiled mischievously, and Annabeth gasped.

"You didn't use-"

"Yeah, just a little," admitted Percy, "Just to get it out of the water."

"You _know _sorcery is forbidden!" exclaimed Annabeth.

"Well, we can't help that, can we?" countered Percy.

Annabeth looked ready to explode, so Piper wisely ran in between them.

"Calm down, guys."

The effect was instantaneous. Annabeth's shoulders stopped shaking from anger, and Percy looked much more relaxed.

"We need to think of a plan," said Jason.

"I'll get right on it," said Annabeth, sitting down to think.

The other children joined her, forming a small circle.

Truthfully, this had been the other reason they had become so close. People born with power were rare, and often dangerous. That must have been the reason their parents had abandoned them when they were babies. The kids didn't mind all the time, but sometimes they did wish they had someone to confide in. So when they met each other, they were overjoyed. They finally had people who understood them.

In their own little world, they were on their own. They were the only people with magic in the entire kingdom of Olympus.

Or so they thought.

**I hoped you liked it! Not sure if I should put this as a Frozen crossover yet, so please review and give me advice! You are awesome!**

**Catsrawesome**


	2. No Two Closer Brothers

**Hey everyone! Shout out to Caleo4eva and awesometacos for reviewing! Caleo4eva, this is actually my second AU story. My first is Siblings in Every Way but Blood. Please check it out if you get the chance!**

**This might be my longest chapter EVER! You will finally get to see Harley and Leo! I hope you enjoy!**

Not a soul was stirring in the kingdom of Olympus. Even the birds, who normally were the first to rise out of their nests and let their music be the first sounds of the day, were curled up in their slumber. A glorious sunrise coated the tiny houses in golden light, along with the castle itself.

A few brave rays managed to creep themselves through the window looking out the highest room in the castle, where a seven year old boy was peacefully sleeping. His curly hair was partially covering his eyes, and the comfortably warm blankets he was draped in disguised his thin and rather scrawny form. His dreams were as varied as the weather, filled with the banging of a hammer, or maybe the crackling of a warm fire on a winter's day, or maybe a simple game of tag with his younger brother, Harley. The boy smiled in his sleep. However, he wouldn't be asleep for long.

"Leo!"

An excited voice sliced through the blanket of silence like a knife, and the owner of the voice managed to rise up high enough on his toes to see the sleeping form of his older brother. He looked a lot like his brother, with brown curly hair and a thin build, but his eyes were bright green like a sunlit meadow, unlike his brothers eyes, which (although you wouldn't be able to see them, for they were shut tight) were a light brown.

The younger boy managed to haul himself onto Leo's bed, and started to shake him up.

"Leo! Wake up! Let's play!" the five year old boy exclaimed, trying his best to keep his volume at a minimum.

"Harley, go back to sleep," groaned Leo without opening his eyes, grabbing a second pillow and placing it over his exposed ear.

"I just can't!" explained Harley, flopping on top of Leo, who muttered a faint, "Oof!"

"Why not..." Leo questioned sleepily.

"Because the sun's awake! So I am awake as well! So I have to play!"

Leo roughly pushed Harley off the bed, muttering, "Ok, Rooster. Go play by yourself.

Harley feel on his butt on the side of Leo's bed, frowning slightly. However, he was not discouraged. His eyes suddenly lit up as he got an idea. He once again climbed on Leo's bed and gently turned Leo's head so it was facing him.

"Do you wanna build a fire?"

Slowly, as a triumphant Harley knew he would, Leo opened two light brown eyes and gave him a knowing smile.

Ten seconds later, the two boys were running down the stairs to the bottom floor of the maze-like castle, Harley pulling Leo while every once in a while happily telling his brother to hurry up, Leo telling his brother to quiet down but giggling just as loudly himself. Soon, they entered an empty chamber. Leo shut the doors to block out sound, and the two boys laughed as Leo was once again pulled to the center of the room.

"Do it!" said Harley, "Do the magic!"

Leo gestured for Harley to come closer, and once Harley was in a good position he started to wiggle his fingers. In a matter of seconds, a small flame danced in his palms. Harley watched in wonder as the flame started to rise until it was level with Leo's nose.

"Ready?" asked Leo.

Leo knew perfectly well that Harley was more than ready, but he still loved to see the eagerness in his eyes. Leo threw the tiny ball of fire into the air. Seconds before it hit the ceiling, it exploded in a shower of colorful sparks. The sparks fizzed here and there like they had a mind of their own. Harley spun around, trying to catch the sparks like they were bubbles.

"This is awesome!" shouted Harley, laughing as he spun faster.

Before Harley could get dizzy, Leo grabbed him by the shoulders. Leo joined in the laughter as Harley unsteadily wobbled on his feet.

"Watch this!" Leo said, slightly bending his knees.

Harley ran up to Leo, his laughing never faltering, and got up piggy-back. Leo hoisted Harley into a more comfortable position, and then started to run. Harley hung on tight, shrieking in delight. As Leo ran, each time one of his feet hit the ground, liquid fire spread from that spot like he had just jumped into an orange puddle. Soon, half of the floor was covered in boiling lava. Harley wasn't scared, though. He knew that he was perfectly safe with his brother, and that Leo would never let him get hurt.

Suddenly, the lava started to rise up like a wave. The wave curled under Leo and they steadily rose from the floor.

"Hold on tight!" Leo yelled to Harley.

Leo surfed the wave without need of a board, and Harley clung on Leo's back for dear life as he enjoyed the ride. They went around the room ten times before the wave died down and Leo gently descended and gracefully hit ground once again. The liquid fire died out, and the room was left unscathed.

The two boys continued to play. At one time, Leo once again conjured a small amount of lava, shaped it into the shape of a small dog, and hardened it as a toy for Harley. Harley was delighted, and insisted that they give it a name.

"How about Rover?" suggested Leo.

"No!" Harley immediately replied, giggling.

"Well, what about Leo Jr.?"

Harley laughed harder, shaking his head.

"Oh, I get it!" said Leo with both hands on hips, feigning irritation, "You want it to be Harley Jr., don't you! Like your name is _so _much better than mine!"

Harley doubled over, continuing to laugh his adorable little laugh. Leo's mask fell, and he began to laugh as well.

"Ok, I give up!" said Leo between giggles, "Why don't you name it, if I am so bad at names!"

Harley stopped laughing enough to manage a few deep breaths, and adopted an expression of deep though. Finally, he snapped his fingers.

"Sparky!" he exclaimed, clapping his hands.

"In what world is Sparky better than Leo Jr.?" said Leo, pretending to look offended.

Harley once again broke into giggles, and Leo smiled. He loved being able to make his brother laugh. It was the best feeling in the world that he was able to make someone happy.

"Fine, Sparky it is," said Leo.

Harley hugged the molten dog, laughing and patting its head. Leo crouched down next to Harley, watching Harley pretend to give the dog a treat and then subjecting to Harley's pleas to give the dog a kiss.

"Come on, Sparky!" Harley had gotten up on Sparky and was sitting on it like it was a horse, clutching two fists in front of him like he was holding invisible reins. "Ya!"

Sparky lurched forward with a jerk, surprising Harley. For one insane moment, Harley was sure the dog had come alive. Then he saw Leo a short distance away, pushing the dog with a jet of lava. Harley whooped as the dog started to skate around the room, propelled by Leo's magic.

Later, when the sun was almost level with the highest trees in the forest but the town still slept blissfully, the two boys had lit a fire with wood from a spare pile they had gathered earlier (They made bonfires often) and were roasting marshmallows. Harley suddenly cried out in surprise as his marshmallow escaped from his roasting stick and made suicide in the fire. Harley let out a sigh of disappointment, but then once again smiled as Leo simply reached into the fire like it was just warm air instead of burning flames and scooped out the marshmallow from among the coals. But Harley's grateful smile changed into a cry of indignation as Leo popped the marshmallow into his mouth.

"Hey! That's mine!"

Leo swallowed, playfully stuck out his tongue, and nimbly dodged Harley as he leaped at Leo. The boys soon became engaged in a game of tag, and soon the sole reason for the game was lost in the wind. But the boys didn't care. They laughed and ran until their breath came out in great rasps, enjoying each other's company. But, slowly but steadily, they got closer to the fire they had build.

When Leo finally noticed, it was too late.

"Wait!" He yelled at Harley.

Harley didn't listen. He charged straight at Leo and they collided. Leo was knocked backwards, straight into the fire. In an effort to save his brother, Leo tried to push his brother back. But instead of pushing Harley to safety, a tiny ball of fire shot from Leo's hands and hit Harley on the side of the head.

Harley was instantly knocked unconscious, his eyes rolling up and his limbs becoming limp. With a small, helpless yelp, Leo grabbed Harley and shielded him from the burning flames as they fell into their bonfire. Leo managed to will the flames to extinguish, and then looked at the part where Harley had been hit. Leo's eyes widened, and he started to cry. The skin was burned off, and the spot was red and bloody. Small tendrils of white had began to creep their way from the bloody spot, glowing eerily. Leo somehow knew that this was no normal burn. His sobbing increased.

"Mommy! Papi!" he yelled as loudly as he could, hoping that someone, _anyone_, would be able to hear him. Harley's face was now wet do to the heavy tears falling with no end in sight. Leo hugged Harley tightly.

"It's ok, Harley," Leo whispered to Harley's unconscious form, "You're gonna be alright, buddy. I promise."

But Leo felt just as helpless as Harley was._ He _had been the one to hurt him. _He _had made the bonfire and had forgotten to put it out.

_Maybe if I hadn't taken his marshmallow, he wouldn't have started chasing me and never would have ran into the fire, _Leo thought.

His sobs increased by a tenfold. He kept drawing conclusions to how he could have stopped the injury from happening in the first place, or maybe what caused it. They all led up to being his fault.

BANG!

The doors were kicked open, and two familiar faces ran into the room. Leo's parents saw Harley, and they understood immediately.

"Leo, this is getting out of hand!" his dad scolded as his mother took Harley out of Leo's hands.

"It was an accident!"

His father's words only made him feel worse. He tried to look at Harley, but he was held up high by his mother.

_Probably to protect him from me, _Leo thought.

"He has a terrible fever," his mother observed, "I don't know if it's because of the burn or the magic."

"Will he be alright?" Leo asked hopefully.

His mother gave him a small smile which he felt he didn't deserve, and said gently, "We'll do our best. I am sure Harley will be fine."

But judging by her expression, she didn't believe it herself.

"Wait," his father suddenly said, "I know where we can go! Ready two horses! I'll be out in a second!"

He ran out of the room.

Leo followed his mother out of the castle and to the stables, where they got the two fastest horses. Leo's eyes never once left his brother. He notices that the small white tendrils seemed to be making their way down Harley's neck, and they had almost reached his shoulders. Leo felt a tremendous stab of guilt every time he laid eyes on the red burn.

The horses were led quickly to the gates, where Leo's father was waiting with two lanterns and a map clutched in his hands. Leo didn't have any idea where he had gotten such a map, but that was the least of his concerns now.

"Where are we going?" asked Leo's mother.

"There is a place in the woods where there is a campsite. The people there have healing magic. It is called Camp Demigod, for it is rumored that they have power almost as strong as the gods themselves. They will know what to do."

Leo wanted to cry out with relief, but he managed to control himself.

_I will only be relieved when Harley was safe and sound. _Leo thought, sending another guilty look at Harley's limp body.

Leo got up in front of his father on the first horse, while his mother mounted the other with Harley in her hands. They immediately set off at a gallop, and Leo had to hold on tight to the horse's neck so as to not fall off. They rode for some time, and the sun was still edging its way over the treetops.

They entered the dark and gloomy forest, and Leo leaned back to be closer to his father. The dark shadows scared him. Normally, he would have simply lit a small fire in his hands to light their way. But for Leo, the risk was too great. He would not be responsible for another injury.

A little way away from where they were riding, the six forgotten children were wandering aimlessly, trying to find anything useful. But they all knew that they were relying on plain luck to save them, and it made them all gloomy. Annabeth listing all the possible ways they could die didn't help.

"And what if there is a forest fire?" Annabeth suggested furiously, "We could get trapped and get burnt alive! Or maybe we could even suffocate due to smoke! Or we could suffocate by other reasons! What if we drown? We could easily-"

"SHUT UP, ANNABETH!" Percy screamed.

Annabeth turned to look at Percy, and Percy's annoyed expression was instantly replaced by one of fear.

"Um... I didn't mean that- I should-"

Annabeth now looked positively murderous, and the other kids didn't hesitate to back up. They knew that this would get ugly. Percy himself tried to back away from Annabeth. That was a mistake.

Annabeth literally pounced on Percy, pinning him to the ground. He couldn't move a muscle. Annabeth looked triumphant, and she raised a fist as if to punch Percy. If he could have moved them, Percy would have used his arms to shield his face, which was most likely Annabeth's target.

"Wait, do you hear that?" Frank suddenly said.

Annabeth wasn't fazed.

"Nice try, Frank. But no one gets between me and my victim."

"No! I'm serious!'

"Hey, I can hear it, too," said Hazel.

All the kids were silent.

"It sounds like hoof-beat," observed Jason.

Annabeth lifted her head to hear better, and her eyes widened. Charging towards them was a herd of deer, twice as tall as all of them, and almost thrice as tall as little Hazel.

"STAMPEDE!" Percy yelled, quite unnecessarily.

The kids hit the ground and shielded their heads with their hands. Piper and Hazel could be heard screaming as the herd ran over them. Miraculously, none of them got trampled, but there were many close cases. Finally, the herd had passed over them.

Hazel started to stand up, but she was once again knocked over by a young buck. Hazel screamed as she hit the ground. The tiny deer was also knocked off balance, and fell somewhere away from Hazel. When Hazel once again got up, she noticed the buck and her eyes softened. The buck looked back at her with watery eyes.

"Hi, Mr. Deer," Hazel said, slowly crawling to the fallen deer, who made no effort to run away. In fact, he seemed fascinated with Hazel.

"I am sorry I knocked you over. Are you alright?"

The deer grunted in reply, as if to say, _I am fine, thank you._

Hazel giggled, and gave the deer a hug. The deer didn't respond.

"Um, Hazel?" Frank intervened, "What are you doing?"

"I am hugging Arion!" Hazel eagerly replied.

"Arion?" Piper raised an eyebrow.

"I like it! Don't you, Arion?"

The buck indeed seemed pleased with its new name, and tenderly got up.

"I wonder what scared that herd," wondered Annabeth out loud.

"I have a feeling we are about to find out..." said Frank.

As if responding to Frank's statement, two horses suddenly ran past. All the children (except Hazel, who quickly gripped Arion around the neck to keep him from running away in fear) once again hit the ground. When they dared themselves to look up, all that was left was a cloud of dust.

"Horses!" Percy exclaimed.

"There were people riding them!" Annabeth said, "We have to catch up to them! They can bring us back to town!"

The excitement was spread to all the children like a cold, and even Arion looked cheerful.

"Ok, Frank," said Jason, "You up to it?"

Frank looked a little deflated. He didn't like talking about his powers, much less using them.

"I guess I am," was all Frank said.

Frank closed his eyes, and began to transform. He fell on all fours, and his hands became hooves. His nose and mouth became a snout, and his hair became a mane. His skin turned bright white, and he grew a tail.

Frank the Stallion got down on low so the children could get on his back. Luckily, he was much larger than regular horses, so the others were able to fit on him no problem. Hazel, much to the annoyance of the other children, managed to get Arion on Frank's back as well.

Once he was sure that everyone was ready and holding tight, Frank sped off after the other two horses.

On one of the two horses in question, Leo was deep in thought. He could have _sworn _he saw a bunch of kids as they passed by. But his eyes must have been playing tricks on him. Why would a bunch of kids be in the forest this early in the morning? The only people from Olympus who ever really visited these woods were the Ice Miners, and they left hours ago.

_I must be thinking too much about Harley, _Leo thought miserably.

"We're here," Leo's dad suddenly said.

They emerged in a clearing. It was seemingly empty. But once they were all in clear view, an authoritative voice spoke to them.

"Halt! Who dares to enter Camp Demigod?"

Leo's eyes widened and his jaw went slack as what he had thought as an ordinary rock transformed into a statue of a man. Or, at least part of a man. It was only a man from the shoulders up. The rest of his body was a giant pedestal. The statue was glaring back at them. Leo clutched his father's arm for support. His father, however, looked fearless as he stared right back into the eyes of the statue.

"Oh mighty Terminus, powerful being who guards Camp Demigod. We wish to have an audience with Rachel Elizabeth Dare."

Terminus didn't look flattered.

"We will _not _be having any visitors! It was bad enough when Camp Half Blood and Camp Jupiter decided to join up, and now we have mortals coming from Olympus to see our Oracle!? Unacceptable!"

This all wasn't news to Leo. Since he was royalty, he was usually one of the first people to get news. The story of the battle and the truce between the two camps had definitely stuck in his mind. However, he had never heard of someone called Rachel Elizabeth Dare.

"Terminus? What is going on?"

Another man, this time with all his parts, emerged from the trees and into the clearing. If Leo didn'tknow better, he would have thought that he was having some bizarre dream. This man was no statue, but he definitely wasn't human. From the waist up, he was a normal-looking human, but from there he was a white stallion.

_A centaur! _Leo thought with wonder.

"Ah, I see we have visitors," observed the centaur.

"Yes, and they have tried to enter Camp Demigod _without permission!_"

Terminus seemed ready to explode. The centaur regarded the family with mild curiosity, and then smiled warmly at them.

"I am Chiron. Pleased to meet you."

He held out a hand, which my father roughly shook. Leo managed a little wave, and Chiron examined him with interest. Leo suddenly felt very shy, which wasn't one of his strong qualities.

"Is he a new recruit?" Chiron asked.

"No," Leo's father immediately replied, leaving Leo confused, "We are here about my other son."

He showed Chiron Harley, and Chiron looked at him with an expression that said that he understood.

"So, you are here to see Miss Dare?"

Leo's father nodded gravely, and without another word Chiron beckoned the family to follow.

"You are letting them _enter?" _Terminus sounded outraged, "They haven't even been checked!"

Chiron ignored him, and the others felt as if they should follow suit.

"Born or cursed?" Chiron asked as they walked.

The others looked confused.

"Well, Harley here-" Leo's mother began to say.

"No, I mean this boy here," He gestured to Leo, "Was he born or cursed with his powers?"

"I was born with them," Leo responded for his parents.

"I see," Chiron looked back at Leo with a look of pity. Leo squirmed a little in his saddle.

"We should be there soon."

And, true to Chiron's word, they emerged on top of a tiny hill. Leo's breath caught as he looked out as a huge valley. Inside the valley was a huge campsite. Thousands of tents were set up, and tiny huts were scattered among them. Leo could also see a Colosseum, where tiny figures were in mock-battle. He couldn't make out many of them, though.

Leo's attention was wavered when the horse turned towards a tiny cave that he hadn't noticed before. It looked creepier than the forest, and once again Leo felt wary. But the situation was quite out of his control. The horses followed Chiron as he went into the cave. As he entered the cave, he noticed drapes pushed to the side of the entrance. They looked like they had been doodled on.

After walking through a small tunnel, they entered a cavern with enough space to hold two of the castle's stables. An ornate rug was in the center, and chairs and sofas were placed in random places, along with a comfortable-looking bed. Colored pictures and sketches were attached to the cavern wall, and Leo admired the skill put into them. The only other piece of furniture was a desk and a seat that happened to be occupied.

A little girl who must have been about a year older than Leo was drawing a picture while quietly munching on a plate of cookies. She had frizzy red hair, and her dress had been doodled on. Leo smiled a bit. The messiness was a nice change from all the neat and spotless gowns he had seen in the past.

"Rachel?" Chiron spoke up, "You have visitors."

The girl turned to face them. Her face was spotted with freckles, and her eyes were . She looked surprised to see them, and then she immediately got down from her chair and bowed. Leo smiled at her and waved. Rachel looked a bit startled, but nevertheless returned the smile and waved.

Leo's mother got down from her horse, carrying Harley. Leo also leaped down from his horse, along with his father. Rachel looked as Harley in concern, and then turned to Chiron.

"Please get Will. If you can find her, also bring Lou Ellen. Her skill might be needed."

"Of course," Chiron gave Rachel one last smile, then galloped to fetch the two requested people.

"What happened to him?" Rachel asked Leo's mother, examining Harley.

"Our son here, Leo," Leo's father said, putting one hand on his shoulder, "He has power over fire. I don't know the details, but Leo must have accidentally hit Harley."

Leo broke into tears. Leo's father looked at Leo in surprise, and then guilt.

"Oh, um," his father awkwardly said, "No, I am sure you didn't mean to hurt Harley."

Leo wasn't reassured.

Chiron had just returned, and following him was a boy and a girl about Rachel's age. The boy had blonde hair, bright blue eyes, and a naturally perfect figure. Due to the dim lights, it was hard to tell, but Will's skin was also nicely tanned. He pretty much looked like how any boy would want to look like. This must have been Will.

Lou Ellen had dark black hair and bright green eyes, which looked like green torches in a sea of blackness. Her hands almost seemed to be glowing with some unknown power. Leo once again became wary.

Will suddenly caught sight of Harley, and ran over to him. Lou Ellen followed suit.

"Ellen," Will addressed Lou Ellen, "First Aid Kit."

Lou waved her hands, and suddenly she was holding a small case labeled, _First Aid. _Leo rubbed his eyes furiously, because they must have been playing tricks on him. Will took the case, and took out some cloth and some kind of medicine.

"Hot water," Will ordered.

Lou grabbed a bowl and ran out of the cave to fetch the water, and Leo watched Will as he worked. With everything he did, Leo finally felt some clarity from his conscience. Harley was going to be ok. He was going to live!

Lou had come back with the bowl of water. Will paused in his work to examine the contents, and shook his head in disapproval.

"It needs to be hot."

Lou glared at him, then mumbled under her breath a rather unflattering comment. As she prepared her magic, however, she was astounded to find the water boiling and emitting steam. Lou held up the bowl as if to check to see if it was an illusion.

"Thanks," said Will, taking the bowl without looking at her.

A little way away, Leo was looking as his hands with a feeling of horror he had never experienced before. What if he had burnt the girl like he had burnt Harley?

Will continued to heal Harley, every once in a while asking Lou for magical assistance. It felt like hours for Leo, who was watching Will's every move. But finally, the burn mark was gone. Leo wanted to cry out in relief.

"Harley is almost completely healed," said Will to the family, "All that is left is to remove the magical effects from the injury. I will leave that to Lou. Can I please go back to sleep now?"

Chiron nodded his head, and Will hurried out of the cave. Lou turned to Harley.

"You are very lucky," she said, "It only hit his head. If it had been his heart, or even remotely close to it, he wouldn't have had a chance. Removing magic is no picnic."

"But you can do it, right?" Leo's father asked.

"Of course," Lou smiled reassuringly at them, "I will heal him right away. I suggest that we remove all magic, just to be safe."

"Do what you must."

"But, that includes memories as well."

Lou turned to face Leo.

"You mean, he won't remember I have powers?" Leo asked her.

"No. All of those times you were playing with your little fire will be gone."

Leo frowned. Those were his most treasured memories. He would rather loose an arm than one of those.

"But if you would like, I can leave the fun," Lou continued.

Lou waved her hands. From Harley, a kind of mist came from the burnt part in his head. The mist formed a picture of Leo and Harley riding a wave of lava in the castle. The scene suddenly changed to them surfing a real wave at a beach with a board. The mist changed to Harley roasting a marshmallow over a tiny fire in Leo's hands, which changed to Leo holding a candle under Harley's marshmallow. Finally, it changed to Leo and Harley watching a fireworks display in their bedroom, curled up next to each other. The scene changed so they were both outside, enjoying fireworks that Leo probably didn't make. With each memory, Leo smiled as he remembered the happy occasion. With each change, he felt a pang in his heart that would likely remain there forever. When Lou finished, she gently placed her hand on Harley's temple, and the mist disappeared. The white tendrils were gone, but Leo noticed a single lock of hair that was as black as coal. Harley smiled in his sleep.

"It is for the best," Leo's mother told him.

He choked back my sobs, and nodded.

"Thanks, Lou," Rachel said to Lou, who smiled and exited the cave.

"Leo, come here."

Leo shyly walked up to Rachel.

"Listen. Your power will only grow. As the years go by, it will become restless, and harder to control. But you must learn to control it."

When he was right in front of Rachel, she held out her hands.

"Clasp my hands," she said.

Wary, yet curious, Leo did as she asked. The effect was instantaneous.

Her eyes started to glow bright green. Leo tried to pull away, but her hands firmly clasped his with incredible strength. Her mouth was slightly agape, and from it came a mysterious green smoke. Leo would have screamed if he could breathe. Rachel spoke with a voice that wasn't hers.

_**Though fire possesses beauty, and brings warmth to those cold**_

_**A child of fire must learn the price**_

_**Of using it unwisely, and have never been told**_

_**Of the danger it possesses to melt the ice**_

_**The time is inevitable when you will need**_

_**Love to save you when you run away from your fears**_

_**The time is inevitable when you will once again do the deed**_

_**And the ice dam will melt and stop holding your tears**_

_**Only true love can you sire**_

_**to save you from your curse**_

_**Choose wisely, son of fire**_

_**And look out for the worst**_

Rachel's eyes stopped glowing, and the smoke was gone. She immediately collapsed, but luckily Chiron managed to catch her and eased her into one of the soft sofas. Leo felt like collapsing himself. That was a prophecy, no doubt about it. And it definitely didn't bring good tidings for the future.

"Why don't you rest, Rachel," Chiron suggested. Rachel didn't object, so he left her to her nap.

"Will you be alright?" Chiron asked Leo's father.

"Yes. I know what to do. We can protect Leo and Harley."

Chiron nodded.

"Well then, I bade you farewell. Until next time."

"Thank you, for everything," said Leo's mother.

And with that they left. Chiron gave Rachel one last pitiful look, and then also made his leave. Rachel, on the other hand, smiled to herself.

"Would you like to come in? There are a few cookies left over."

Rachel turned her head to face the six eavesdroppers, who had just moments ago been hiding outside. And, being the wise cookie-loving guy he was, Percy entered the cave, followed by the five others, still being shadowed by Arion.

Later that day in the castle, Harley woke up with a major headache. He looked outside his window. The sun was well up. It must have been the afternoon, which meant he missed breakfast.

But hadn't he gotten up that morning? Harley didn't remember.

Then Harley decided that he would find Leo and play a game with him. That always cheered him up. As he got out of bed, he noticed a major difference in his room that he shared with Leo. Or at least, he _thought _he shared with Leo. All of Leo's stuff was gone, including his bed. The space in the wall where his bed usually was seemed unusually empty without it.

Harley ran out of the door. He would find Leo and demand to know what was going on. However, he didn't need to look far. As he ran out the door, he saw Leo walking into one of the rooms they never used before. Through the opening the door left, Harley could make out Leo's bed, as well as a lot of his toys. Harley suddenly realized what was going on. Leo was getting his own room.

Leo suddenly noticed Harley. He desperately wanted to talk to him, to tell him what was going on and why they were doing this. But he couldn't. He just couldn't. Sending one last glance at Harley, he quietly shut the door to his new room.

Harley was heartbroken. Was it something he had done? Had he made Leo angry? Harley ran back into his room and slammed the door shut.

And he cried.

**I know that was a bit of a sad ending. Next is, Do You Want To Build a Snowman! I will definitely change the lyrics! This will be hard...**

**PLEASE REVIEW! I love hearing from you! You are awesome!**

**Catsrawesome**


	3. Do You Wanna Build a Fire?

**I have three words for you guys.**

**I'M SO SORRY!**

**You know that feeling when you are trying to write and you just don't _feel _it? Like that spark of inspiration? I just couldn't get myself to write more than a few words! It was killing me!**

**But I got a very nice review from someone named Caleo4eva. You were my substitute spark, and it definitely worked! Thank you so much!**

**And thank you all so much! In the bottom, I have answered all of your reviews! You deserved to all be acknowledged!**

**This song was much easier than I thought, actually. I know for sure the next song is going to be MURDER!**

**But let's not dwell on such stuff.**

**Just a warning, the chapter get's a little dark at the end there, but there is a lot of bromance in this chapter! I hope you enjoy, and I hope it makes up for all those months of absence!**

**Months. *sigh* I am a terrible person, aren't I?**

A creak was heard as the door to what used to be the room the two brothers shared eased open. A tiny head peaked from behind the cover of the indigo colored door. Harley hesitated, took a deep breath, and then emerged from his lonely room.

He walked up to his brother's door, greetings playing in his mind. Though barely a week had gone by since Leo had been moved, the door already had picked up on Leo's personality. A flame pattern had been painted in a soft red on its wooden surface, not seeming lifelike at all but still looking alive. Harley admired the decor for a few seconds, and then silently scolded himself for distracting himself. If he didn't muster the courage to ask Leo now, when would he?

Harley cleared his throat.

"Leo?"

There was no reply. Harley hadn't expected one, but he had hoped beyond all hope. Harley knocked on the door, each knock a syllable making up a Morse Code message.

_Hello._

Still no reply.

Harley was crestfallen, but far from discouraged. He decided to change tactic. He started to smile as an idea formed in his mind. He took a deep breath.

_"Do you wanna build a fire?_

Harley thought he heard movement from the other side of the door. His smile widened as he continued to sing.

_Come on, I'll grab some wood._

_I haven't seen you for a week._

_Except for at the meals we eat._

_What's with your mood?_

The movement behind the door stopped, and Harley immediately regretted his choice in lyrics. However, he didn't stop his song.

_We used to be best buddies!_

_And now we're not._

Harley frowned at the depressing thought.

_I wish you would tell me why!_

Harley noticed a keyhole right below the doorknob. Maybe he might be able to get a glimpse of his brother! Harley pressed his head close to the door.

_Do you wanna build a fire?"_

_Maybe Leo doesn't hear me_, Harley thought. Just in case Leo didn't, Harley sang into the keyhole, his voice slightly muffled.

_"It doesn't have to be a fire!"_

Harley giggled a bit at his muffled voice, but his laughter immediately subsided when he heard his brother's voice.

"Go away, Harley!"

That was when Harley gave up.

_He just needs some space,_ Harley thought to himself, _I am sure he will come out soon._

"_Ok, bye."_

Harley turned away slowly from his brother's door, trudging back to his own room.

Leo had been listening to his brother's song intently, each word threatening to make him burst into tears. He _hated _having to stay away from Harley. It had been only a week and Leo was already drowning in loneliness. It was even more painful because of how much he loved Harley.

_He must feel horrible, _Leo thought miserably_._

Leo decided to clear his head. He turned his head to the window, and his only closure, that was in his room. Leo walked up to to window and placed both hands on the windowsill. It was a beautiful sunny day, and the sun streaming through his only window felt wonderful on his face. Leo closed his eyes and relaxed. The heat almost seemed to increase, and it felt even better.

Then Leo smelt something burning.

Leo opened his eyes with a start, and let out a cry of shock as he saw two hand shaped burn marks on the windowsill. Leo backed away quickly from the window, the blissful moment lost. He suddenly heard another knock on the door.

"Go away Harley!" Leo shouted to the door, his voice cracking slightly.

"It's me," came the voice from behind the door. Leo realized his mistake when he identified the voice as his father's. He hurried to get the door for him.

"How are you doing?" Leo's father asked him.

"Fine," Leo lied.

His father immediately detected the fib, and his eyes narrowed. Unintentionally, Leo's eyes darted to the two burnt hand-marks, and his father picked up his gaze. He let out an exhausted sigh, and he looked at Leo with disappointment.

"I thought we had discussed this," his father scolded, "No magic."

"I didn't mean to!" Leo protested, "I just-"

"Lost control," His father finished. He no longer looked disappointed. Just sad. Leo averted his eyes in shame.

"But we may have a solution to it."

Leo's head snapped towards his father, his eyes wide in disbelief.

"Are you serious?" Leo asked.

His father reached into his pocket and pulled out a pair of black leather gloves. Leo immediately glared at his father.

"How are these supposed to help?"

"They are magic," His father replied, and Leo's annoyed look was replaced with a look of wonder, gazing upon the simple-looking pair of gloves, "They have the power to restrain the pull of magic."

"How did you get these?" Leo asked his father, still examining the gloves with new-found respect.

"A sorceress made them herself in order to live a normal life. Of course, there have been very few sorcerer's in Olympus, and they immediately are shipped to Camp Demigod. However, we don't want you to go through that. That is why we got the gloves."

Leo felt grateful to his father. It was bad enough he couldn't talk to Harley, but leaving him would probably be more than he could handle.

But at the same time, Leo felt a tiny weight in his heart. Was he being selfish? Would going away really keep Harley safe?

Leo's father gently pulled a glove onto one of Leo's hands. It felt cool, and sent slight shivers up Leo's back. He could almost _feel _the power.

"Now, remember what I told you before?" his father asked as he pulled on the second glove.

Leo hesitated, then nodded.

"Conceal," His father started.

"Don't feel," Leo continued.

"Don't let it show," they finished together.

And that was the code Leo lived by for a very long time.

**_~Five Years Later~_**

Harley ran down hallway, whooping. His eyes narrowed in concentration as he got ready to spring. He saw his destination: the couch that always sat in the Hall of Paintings. As he got closer, he bent his knees. When he was only ten feet away, he leaped into the air, sprang off the sofa, and soared. Harley laughed, doing a few flips, and then landed safely on a neighboring couch. Harley gave himself a few seconds to savor the moment, and then his laughter died. He sighed slightly at his immaturity.

_This is so pathetic, _He thought to himself, _I have to rocket off of sofas for entertainment. _

Harley knew he had hours until dinner. He was in desperate need of entertainment, yet there was none to be found. Jumping up and down on a couch gets old after a few goes. If only Leo was here...

Harley's good spirit now died away completely. He frowned, fighting down the urge to cry. Over the years, Harley must have asked Leo hundreds of times. The first few times, Harley knocked on the door asking Leo to play, and every time Leo rejected him. But after Harley tested his luck about twenty times, Leo had stopped answering altogether. Now Harley was beginning to miss his rejections.

Harley was stubborn. He kept on knocking every single day, hoping beyond hope for a chance to even talk to his brother. However, as the years went by, Harley's visits became much less frequent. He started visiting only once every two days. Then it dwindled down to weeks. Now, Harley's visits to Leo's room were barely every month. Harley never gave up entirely. In fact, his longing for his brother back was right now winning the war with fear of rejection.

_Well, it wouldn't hurt to try, would it? _Harley thought to himself.

His boredom struck the winning blow, and he ran to his brother's room.

The doors had begun to look ominous, even though they didn't seem nearly as large as they did when he was five. Now he was ten years old. His small, innocent mind had somewhat matured since then, and he had become close to fearless. In fact, the only things he feared were rejection from his brother and getting bit by a vampire. If only he could convince himself that the stupid blood-suckers weren't real!

He only slowed down right when he arrived at his destination, causing him to rocket right past the doors. Quickly backtracking, Harley knocked on the doors.

_"Do you wanna build a fire?_

_Or maybe throw around a ball?_

_Or we could maybe play a game of tag._

_Stop being such a drag!_

_It's been five years after all!_

Harley's legs almost had a mind of their own, and they just couldn't stand still as Harley sang these words. As Harley's anticipation rose, so did his hope.

_Why, oh why will you not answer?_

_Was it something that I did?_

_Could you just briefly answer my call?"_

Harley was about to continue his song when he felt something bump into his foot. He looked down and was surprised to see a quickly scrawled note. He tenderly picked it up as if it were bomb about to go off any minute. As he unfolded the note, he saw small, untidy scribbling near the top of the page. Harley's heart gave a leap.

_Leo wrote on this very page, _Harley thought breathlessly, _He actually _answered _me!_

Harley wanted to hoard it in his room and keep it safe. He didn't want it to gain the slightest tear. He didn't want any harm to come to the tiny piece of paper.

Yet at the same time, Harley was afraid of what exactly Leo had actually _written. _Was it another rejection? Was it an explanation? Was it an invitation?

Without another moment's hesitation, Harley forced his eyes to stare at the words written on the paper. His heart sped up as he read every word.

_Stop coming._

_I can't play with you._

_What will it take for you to understand?_

_Just go away._

_Leave me alone._

_-Leo_

When Harley finished reading the note, he felt an unfamiliar emotion. It was more than annoyance or frustration. He wanted to break something. He wanted to yell at Leo to get his sorry butt out of his room and demand him to give him a fair explanation.

He lost all respect for the note, and threw it at Leo's stubbornly closed door. Harley sent the door one last glare before storming to his own room. After slamming his own door, he flopped down on his bed, hands clenched.

Just that very moment, Harley was shocked to figure out that what he was feeling was _anger. _

Harley had his fair share of memories when Leo had annoyed him, and they did have the occasional sibling fight, but Harley had never been downright _furious_ with his brother. The anger had now left Harley, leaving him depressed. Once again, Harley was in the exact same spot as before.

The tiny note fluttered down to the ground like a leaf in the wind. The paper rocked back and forth in the air, the side of the paper the light favored alternating between Leo's message and the back. After a few graceful spins, the paper rested itself down with the back of the paper facing up.

And on the back were three small words that appeared to be added as an after thought.

_P.S. I am sorry._

Leo once again heard the fateful knocking. By now, it was starting to get annoying, rather than upsetting. Leo had long since stopped answering Harley's calls. It was bad enough hearing Harley, so hopeful and innocent, asking him in vain to come out to play, but it was even worse to reject him.

But his promise to his father stuck firmly in his head like glue. He couldn't interact with anyone, especially his brother. He couldn't have another accident.

As time went by, Leo had managed to find a few ways to distract himself. He had discovered that he liked jokes, and whenever Leo was upset, he would just tell himself a good one inside his head. He also told jokes to his parents, who were the only people he could talk to. They were very busy, and that often left Leo feeling very lonely. If only he could actually communicate with Harley without actually _talking _to him.

Leo's eyes caught on his small stack of paper and pencils, and he got an idea.

When Leo was very young, a little before Harley was born, Leo was having a lot of trouble socializing with people. Even though he wasn't now, he used to be very shy. His mother had told him that it was easier to write out your feelings than to say them out loud to someone, so Leo commonly talked to people by writing them notes. Eventually, when Harley was born, Leo started to get better, and he stopped using notes. Maybe, just maybe, it might help him now.

Leo sat down at his desk, removing his gloves to write. Leo quickly scribbled down a quick note, pausing every now and then. His eraser was put to use more than a few times, causing Leo's frustration to rise. In the end, Leo was only left with three words that fit.

_I am sorry._

Leo's mind went blank. This wasn't enough. He knew it wasn't enough. This wouldn't satisfy Harley. By now, probably _nothing _would satisfy the ten year old. Leo wished that Harley would just leave him alone and let him be miserable I peace.

Leo started to feel angry. He turned the page over, and furiously attacked the page with a much harsher message. In the back of his mind, Leo knew that the words he was writing would probably crush his younger brother, but right now he didn't care. Once he finished writing, he turned the page over once again to erase his previous attempt.

His eraser hovered a few inches over the words. Leo's burst of anger had now partially subsided, and his hands were no longer shaking. Changing his mind, Leo decided to keep the tiny note as a postscript and folded it up so it was small enough to fit under the door. He shoved it through the crack as hard as he could, hoping that Harley would notice it.

His hopes were confirmed as Harley suddenly stopped singing. Leo couldn't help but crouch down and look under the crack in his door. He just managed to see Harley tenderly pick the note up. After a few suspense-filled seconds, Leo saw Harley throw the note and stomp away. Though he could no longer see Harley, he heard the sound of a door being slammed.

Leo slowly got up from his place on the floor. It took him a few minutes to take in what he just saw.

Harley, his innocent little brother that had never yelled at a living soul, was _angry _at him.

_Just like you were at him moments ago, _Leo thought to himself.

Leo felt ashamed of himself. What kind of thoughtless monster was he becoming? How could he take his anger out on his younger brother?

Leo started to feel angry again. However this time he wasn't angry at Harley. He was angry at his parents, for not letting him talk to Harley face-to-face. He was angry at the Fates for giving him this life. He was angry at whoever he had inherited his powers from.

Most of all, he was angry at himself. He was angry at himself for losing control. He was angry that he was reacting so badly to his situation. He was angry that he wasn't perfect.

He definitely wasn't perfect. Not even close.

Suddenly, Leo saw a flash of light and was blasted off of his feet, landing hard on his back. Groaning in pain, he managed to get himself to a sitting position. As he looked towards the place the source that had blasted him backwards had been before, he let out a gasp.

There was a giant black burn mark on his wall. It must have been twice as big as himself! Leo unsteadily got to his feet, and stared at the burn, and then back as his hands.

_I forgot to put my gloves back on! _

Leo ran back to his desk and shoved his hands back into his gloves, the icy power once again acting like a dam restraining the flow of magic. Leo's heart was beating at a million miles per hour, and he suddenly had trouble breathing. Leo had never summoned that much fire before.

What if someone else had been in this room?

Leo jumped as he heard someone knocking rapidly on his door.

"Leo, what's going on in there?" his mother's voice rang out.

Leo, hesitant this time, opened the door for his parents. His mother gasped and covered her mouth in horror once she saw the giant black mark on the wall. His father looked at Leo with the same look of disapproval that he had given him many times before.

"I took my gloves off," said Leo, who was on the verge of tears, "It was only for a second!"

The lines in his father's face creased, and he opened his mouth to speak. Probably to scold Leo. However, just as he was about to speak, Leo interrupted him.

"I'm scared."

His father's expression changed from disapproval to one of confusion. Leo never outwardly admitted how terrified he was of his powers, but Leo felt like he had to tell at least _someone._

"My power," Leo continued, "It's getting stronger. It's getting harder to control!"

Leo's mother instinctively ran forward to comfort her son, but Leo jumped away from her, eyes wide.

"Don't touch me!" he yelped.

Leo's mother looked shocked.

"P-please," Leo quickly added, still recoiling from his mother's touch, "I don't want to hurt you."

His parents looked at Leo helplessly, and Leo felt a great stab of guilt. First he hurt Harley, now he was getting his parents upset.

"I-I'm sorry," Leo finally said, "I'll try harder to control my powers. I won't forget the gloves again."

His parents looked relieved, and his father smiled at him.

"That's all we ask for, Son."

Leo gave them one last reassuring smile as his parents left his room, gently closing the door behind him.

That was the day Leo created his mask. He wasn't going to let anyone get hurt again. Not even emotionally.

Harley had heard the bang coming from Leo's room. Harley, though he was beyond curious, was still upset at Leo. The words from the note were still bouncing around in his head.

Harley's visit consistency dwindled down to years.

_**~Three** **Years Later~**_

Harley ran to his parent's room, where the door lay blissfully open. It was a nice change to all the closed doors he had to deal with for nearly his entire life. As Harley entered the room, he saw his parents packing a few last-minute things in suitcases, though there were plenty more scattered around the floor. Harley nimbly dodged the many obstacles as he made his way to his parents. Harley, now being thirteen (and proudly a teenager), had absolutely no trouble navigating his way across the room, as he often did much more dangerous and difficult activities in his spare time. His parents' eyes brightened and they spread their arms wide as they shared a group hug with their youngest son.

"I'll miss you," Harley said to them, "Come back soon, right?"

"Of course," his father replied, "We'll be back in just two weeks."

"Well then," Harley replied with a smile, "See you in two weeks."

They shared one last hug, and Harley ran back out of the room.

Leo was waiting at the bottom of the staircase leading from the upper floor to the entrance of the castle. His parents were walking down the stairs, shadowed by a few servants carrying their stuff for them. Leo smiled at his parents, bowing respectively at them like he had been taught. His mother beamed at him, while his father smiled proudly.

"If I knew any better, I would say you were moving," Leo said, glancing at the struggling servants.

His father chortled, while his mother glanced worriedly at the servants.

"I still think we should help them," his mother said.

"Nah, they're fine," his father replied, "Aren't you, boys?"

The servants quickly nodded and expressed their agreement, though Leo could swear they cast a pleading look his way.

Leo's smile started to fade a bit, and the smile he gave his parents next was sadder than before.

"Do you really have to go?" he asked them.

His father rested a hand on his shoulder.

"You'll be fine, Leo."

"It's not me I'm worried about. The seas are harsh, and there are many sea monsters."

His father gave Leo a tired look. They had had this conversation many times before.

"Don't worry about us."

"But I could protect you!"

"Leo, I told you: No magic."

Leo sighed, but nodded.

"We love you, Leo," his mother told him.

Leo once again smiled, and hugged his parents.

"Here, let me accompany you to the carriage," Leo said.

His father rolled his eyes, but didn't protest as Leo walked with them.

Harley watched out his parents ride away in the carriage, the servants who had helped them with their stuff looking relieved. Harley waved at them, even though he knew they couldn't see him.

_Goodbye._

With a sigh, Harley flopped down on his bed. The past few days had been keeping Harley gratefully busy, for he had been helping his parents get ready for an important trip to a neighboring country. Leo had also been helping, and Harley had managed to catch a glimpse of his brother every once in a while. However, he was never able to get close enough to speak to him. They were never doing the same thing. It was almost like his father was making them do separate tasks on _purpose_.

Harley was interrupted from his thoughts as he heard a door shut from outside his room. Leo must have returned from helping his parents with the luggage. Harley felt the familiar feeling he always felt when he had an opportunity to get his brother to play with him. Maybe if he knocked this time...

_Well, I've got nothing better to do, _Harley thought.

He hopped out of bed and ran towards his brother's door. The door itself no longer held the horror it did before. It only made Harley sad. It reminded Harley of how much time that he lost that could have been spent playing with Leo. It made Harley feel like he was trapped, even though he was free to go anywhere in the castle.

Although he was never allowed to go _outside _the castle. He always had to stay indoors, for there were many people out there who would love to get their hands on him. They could kidnap him and use him to bribe his father for money. Maybe they could even use him to take down the kingdom.

No, he must stay inside. At least until he was older.

He walked up to Leo's door, and held out his hand to knock. Then, he was consumed with a feeling of hopelessness. The spark of hope was now gone. Harley never realized that the tiny little spark was what lit up his courage to ask his brother over and over again, as well as its significance. Harley felt his fear start to emerge from the shadows of his mind as well.

His longing and fear began to battle once more, but the battle was short. His longing now cowered in the back of his mind, surrendering to the darkness that now lay there, for his spark that had driven away the darkness was now gone.

_Maybe that's why I named that dog Sparky, _Harley thought, recalling the last time he ever played with Leo all those years ago. _It represented hope._

Harley's mind then went blank.

_How did Leo make that dog again?_

Harley shook his head.

_I guess it doesn't really matter._

Harley once again returned to his room, casting one last sad look behind him at the closed door.

_**~Two Weeks Later~**_

The news came as a blow to everyone.

Harley had spent three days shut inside his room, crying and mourning for his dead parents. The thought that the ship could have been attacked seemed so impossible. No one had believed for even a second that harm would come to the couple. The sea, however, had decided otherwise, and had pulled the ship way off course towards the Sea of Monsters. The ship, while large and sturdy, stood no change against the might of the fearsome creatures that dwelled under the murky depths of the water. Only the cabin boy had managed to escape with his life, along with the dreadful news on the other passengers.

The castle was draped in black as a sign of mourning, though fortunately almost no one was there to witness the depressing mood. Everyone was at the town cemetery. At least, that is what everyone called it, for it was quite a way away from the kingdom itself, most likely so that it didn't make the townspeople uneasy. However, anyone who believed in the old ghost stories were swallowing their fear just this once in order to pay their respects.

Ten new tombstones were added among the rest. Since no bodies could be recovered, the stones were more like monuments. That was what Harley liked to call them. It made it sound like they were honoring his parents' memory rather than what used to be their lives. It didn't cheer Harley up in the slightest, but at least it didn't make him feel any worse.

Harley later felt proud of himself for not crying during the entire ceremony. Everyone's heads were bowed down in respect, and Harley stood in between the two pedestals as King Zeus read out a speech dedicated to Harley's parents. It was an honor, but Harley didn't feel privileged.

Harley couldn't find Leo anywhere.

He wasn't at the burial. Harley knew, for he had scanned the entire crowd of attendants and couldn't find the curly brown hair and brown eyes. It didn't make him angry, like he expected himself to be. He just felt pity for him. Harley knew that his parents had been Leo's rock. He depended so badly on them, though Harley had no idea why. Leo must feel unstable now without them. Whatever Harley was feeling, Leo must feel much worse.

Harley was the last one to leave the cemetery.

As Harley's thin form drifted off into the distance, six teenagers came out of the shadows, wearing black for the occasion. As they approached the stone, Hazel's sobs could faintly be heard from behind the two hands she used to cover her tear-streaked face. She wasn't the only one crying, for the tear marks could be seen faintly upon everyone's cheeks. They all never knew any of the people personally, but they had great respect for Hephaestus and Ezperanza Valdez. They had heard how they were honest and kind people, always looking out for others.

And to six people who never truly had a family, they sounded wonderful.

They stopped in a perfectly straight line in front of the two monuments, and were silent for a minute in respect. After that minute had passed, Annabeth broke the circle and walked slowly to the monuments. Her eyes scanned the ground in between the two stones, and her eyes lingered on a single spot she found satisfactory.

"Here," she said, breaking the silence.

Frank took that as his cue and transformed into a tiny dog. He ran up to the spot Annabeth indicated, and started to dig. Once he dug a big enough hole, he ran back to his spot in line and changed back into himself. Hazel moved forward towards Annabeth, who was holding a seed in her hand. Annabeth dropped the seed into the hole, which magically covered up with soil as Hazel waved her hands.

All the sudden, it started to rain, Jason obviously being the cause as he held his hands up. Percy waved his hands as he maneuvered some of the water droplets to fall on the small mound of dirt their precious seed currently resided in. Then, when they decided the seed had enough water, Jason cleared the sky with a wave of his hand.

Piper, being the only one left who hadn't done her part, walked forward and knelt down before the mound of dirt. She started to speak, her voice washing over all of them like sunlight.

"You want to grow, little seed. You want to become a big, beautiful tree. You want to reach up and touch the sky."

As Piper spoke, a little sapling forced its way out of the dirt. It started to grow larger, and its stem hardened and became a trunk. Branches grew out in all directions. Soon, a massive tree was towering over the two monuments.

Suddenly, flowers started to sprout on the branches. Little pink flowers. The six gazed in awe as the entire tree was soon covered in little pink cherry blossoms.

"You were right," Piper said to Annabeth, "Cherry trees are the most beautiful trees in the world."

"Well, when am I ever wrong?"

A few of them chuckled. Then, they all linked arms, staring at their beautiful creation.

Harley walked down the dark hallways in the castle. The castle seemed even lonelier than usual. Harley thought he was depressed before. It was nothing compared to now.

He was heading to his room. He needed to sleep. He would do _anything _by now to rid him of all these horrible thoughts. As he walked towards his room, he passed by his brother's. He stopped, and stared at the flame-patterned door. He could hear faint sobbing from behind it.

In a bold move, Harley stepped towards it, and knocked a message in Morse Code.

_Hello._

Harley, like all those many years ago, began to sing.

_"Leo?_

_Please I know you're in there."_

The sobbing suddenly stopped, then began once again with renewed vigor. Harley pressed his hand to the door.

_"People have been asking where you've been"_

That was perfectly true. Harley had been faced with the question multiple times, and each time he had painfully said that Leo was still at the castle, mourning his dead parents. Harley wasn't even sure if it was the truth at the time, but he would rather die than intentionally shame his brother.

_"They say, "Have courage."_

_And I'm trying to._

_I'm right out here for you._

_Just let me in."_

Harley knew that he was probably wasting his time. Leo just wouldn't let him in. He wouldn't even talk to Harley. However, Harley kept singing.

_"We only have each other."_

Harley's voice cracked slightly at these words, but he didn't stop.

_"It's just you and me._

_What are we going to do?_

For Harley had no idea. He didn't want Leo to come up with a solution to this problem by himself. Harley just didn't want to find the solution alone, like he had for almost his entire life.

Harley, in desperation, said the simple words that had failed him so many times, and were going to fail him once again.

_"Do you wanna build a fire?"_

Harley didn't want to build a fire at all. The only thing he wanted to build was the friendship between himself and his brother. It was all he wanted.

He had lost all hope. There was none left now. Sparky was long gone. The song had gone all the way from being so hopeful and happy to what it was now.

Harley realized he didn't want hope. He wanted to be happy. He wanted just one bit of happiness he could call his own.

But he couldn't be happy. Not without Leo.

_I don't need Sparky, _Harley thought.

Harley remembered, a long time ago, when Leo was teaching him Latin. Leo's Latin was a bit rough as well, so he was teaching himself as well as his brother. They had stumbled upon one bright and cheerful word.

"Festus?" Leo sent a questioning look at Harley, "It sounds just like our Papi's name, huh? Maybe his real name is Festus!"

They had laughed for a long time after that, musing over the word. They had even more fun at dinner as they repeatedly called their father "Festus", much to his annoyance.

_I don't need Sparky, _Harley repeated in his mind, _I need Festus._

Harley sighed, sitting down on the floor with his back to Leo's closed door.

_I need Leo._

Harley felt a hand close on his own, and let out a gasp. He looked down at his hand, and saw that through the crack underneath the door, a gloved hand managed to reach far enough to grasp Harley's fingertips. Harley immediately pressed his hand closer to the crack underneath the door, and the two brothers were able to hold each other's hands.

Leo knew that he shouldn't be doing this. His father had specifically told him not to. But Leo needed some kind of outlet. His room had not proved to be a very good one.

His bed was smoking, for it had previously been on fire. The walls were lined with burn marks, and toys lay in random places on the floor, either melted or burnt to a crisp.

His brother proved to be a much better outlet.

_Just this once, _Leo told himself firmly, _One moment of weakness, and then that's it._

Together, the two brother's mourned over their loss.

**I checked this chapter over twice for you guys! You deserve it! You actually deserve more, BUT I'M NOT THAT GOOD!**

**And now, to fulfill a promise.**

**awesometacos: I am glad this is not cheesy! I was going for this not to be cheesy. This IS a HOO fanfic, however, so you should probably brace yourself for horrible cheesiness, as well as terrible puns.**

**Amber Ember7: XD**

**IVXLCDM: Man, you have a complicated name! I don't really read a lot of crossovers, but I have managed to stumble across a couple of good ones. You should definitely check them out!  
****I never really thought about that. Technically, Leo IS an arsonist. But we still all love him!**

**fantasiedreamar: I know. Harley isn't very commonly used, but I just love bromance between them! It is just so sweet!**

**PixelArtyGirl1: ****Who doesn't like Frozen?  
I mean, besides those people who don't?  
People should really get more cats. I mean, I have a cat (world's most ultimate "duh") and you are such a lucky person to have THREE!**

**Hibernia12:**** Thank you! And thanks for the constructive crititism. I feel like I don't get enough of that, and I know I DESPERATELY need it! That is why I checked this chapter so many times! I hope it makes up for previous mistakes! I also corrected a few mistakes in chapter 2, so you can check that out if you want!**

**Caleo4eva: ****Thank you so much for believing in me. You really inspired me to do this chapter. I am so glad you like it. And thanks for checking out my other story!  
YAY! Let's fangirl about Solangelo for a few seconds!  
*screams loudly for ten seconds*  
Ok I'm good now!  
It's March 6th now! Did you get an account? I will be sure to check out your stories! You are automatically being one of my favorite authors! I just can't wait to see what you have in store!**

**PLEASE READ THIS: You know how Anna in Frozen falls in love with Hans and he turns out to be a crazy maniac who tries to kill Elsa?**

**I would say spoiler alert, but by now the entire planet has seen the movie.**

**I need to find out who to pair Harley up with? I need it in order to do the next chapter, for that is when Harley sings 'For the First Time in Forever'.**

**Any ideas? Cause I got none.**

**Don't worry if you don't have any ideas! I don't think there is any cannon Harley ship, but if there is please tell me! I will listen to all your suggestions! Also, any other suggestions on this story would be amazing!**

**YOU ARE AWESOME!**

**Catsrawesome**


	4. Coronation Blues

**Um, hi?**

**Well, not sure what to say to a bunch of people who thought I was dead for half a year. I now know how Leo feels. I guess that's a good thing(?)**

**I'm sorry! I had this huge move which was very stressful, and I just couldn't get myself to write! But now that it's summer vacation, I will be sure to save more time for all you wonderful people! I really hope you enjoy this chapter. I worked really hard on it!**

**Warning: You are about to witness some of the worst song-writing in the history of song-writing. It was so bad that I had to call upon my younger sister for assistance (the shame...). If you at all value your eyesight or sanity, you will not read any further than this. You have been warned.**

**And with that cheerful message, enjoy!**

Three years after that dreadful incident, the kingdom had long given up their black attire after three whole months of mourning. Yet, life goes on, and the residents of Olympus had painfully decided that Hephaestus and Esperanza Valdez would prefer that they don't dwell over such topics for so long. The king himself had already established a memorial for his finest son and daughter in law, and though they had shared many conflicts _(_many including Queen Hera), Zeus has put them all behind him.

On this day, the kingdom not only had resumed its usual boisterous and loud behavior, but it seemed unusually more cheerful than usual. However, the source of this unlimited source of cheeriness wasn't a mystery to anyone. Today was the day that Leo Valdez, heir to the throne, was turning eighteen. Today was Coronation Day.

Zeus didn't have any children in the castle. They had all either married someone in another kingdom, ran away to make a new life without the responsibility of kingship, or settled in at Camp Demigod (this only applied to two of his children, though it was rumored that one of them had joined the Hunters of Artemis). Leo and Harley were the only princes that resided at the castle, and since Leo was the eldest, it was his responsibility to take up the throne.

All around the town, people were rushing about, struggling to get ready for the celebration. The night after the Coronation, the streets would be filled with people having parties and dancing while wearing their finest attire. Inside _each_ house, women were trying out different gowns and practicing their dancing, while the men were busy outside setting up decorations to mark the joyous occasion. The younger children were running around everywhere, laughing happily while evading their tired and frustrated mothers. Just entering the town were several ships currently docking at the port. All eyes were turned to one that was just starting to unload, though it wasn't because the size (it was indeed the largest ship) or even the sail with the two bright letters, _CD, _that decorated the sails. It was the feeling the ship gave. An aura of magic.

Yes, the campers from Camp Demigod had decided to show their faces and join in on the celebration. Most, of course, were nervous, and a bunch of ADD kids who were more fidgety than usual was not a good thing. But no one had been left behind at the camp, and though everyone was a bit wary of the mortals, they all couldn't wait for the celebrations.

A nineteen year old girl with brown hair, brown eyes, and wearing a beautiful lime-green gown was busy fussing over a boy a little older than her with curly brown hair and blue eyes. Another boy, looking identical to the first (though he was a bit shorter and obviously a few years younger) was watching the two with an amused look in his eyes.

"Katie, will you _stop i__t?_" The older boy protested.

"You just simply _cannot _go to the Coronation looking like that, Travis!" the girl, Katie, argued, "Will you just hold still?"

Travis sent a pleading look to the boy who was obviously his brother, but he just shrugged, making it clear he was on his own

"I will get you for this, Connor," Travis mumbled under his breath. Connor, who managed to hear this, immediately started laughing.

A straw-colored haired boy sent them a look of disgust. The nerve of the boy to not come to the Coronation looking how they are supposed to! And it was obvious that the stupid girl was only making things worse!

_Things would be so much better with _me_ in charge_, Octavian thought to himself.

Of course, Octavian wouldn't dare say that out loud. Him taking Reyna's place as praetor was laughable. He had already made a fool of himself countless times. Even at that very moment people were shooting him weird looks left and right. However, Octavian kept his head held high and ignored the constant stares directed at his suit.

With the constant supply of demigods that day, the townspeople had seen enough different colors and patterns to last them a lifetime. However, Octavian's suit definitely took the cake for the most vibrant, not to mention just outright strange. It was a sight to see a sixteen year old boy walk the streets of Olympus wearing a belt of different colored teddybears with his outfit. I didn't even match the suit! Octavian didn't let the looks and whispers that trailed him everywhere he went get to him. He knew in his heart that he was far more superior to all of them, and that one day, they wouldn't dare whisper behind his back.

One day, they will all be sorry.

"Ah, Olympus," Octavian said to himself, "A most mysterious kingdom. Don't you agree?"

For the first time since he arrived, Octavian addressed his two traveling companions (Octavian often thought of them as his servants). The first one, who had perked up when he had heard his leader speak, nodded his head eagerly (or at least he hoped it looked eager). The other one, who had been gazing at the kingdom with wonder in his eyes, wasn't as lucky. It was only when Octavian impatiently cleared his throat that he whipped towards him, his eyes now filled with fear instead of wonder.

"As I was saying," Octavian continued, "This is quite a mysterious kingdom. I believe this is the kingdom where the Valdez family resides?"

As if on cue, the two demigods vigorously nodded their head (the second one desperately hoping to make up for his previous mistake).

"Or I guess I should say, what's left of the Valdez family," Octavian said with a slight smirk, "Another mystery that has yet to be unfolded! I'm telling you, this is what I really intend to do here! What kind of demigod spends time around mortal parties?"

Octavian shuddered, as if he was suddenly ailed with a strong chill.

"Well, the sooner I find that out, the sooner I can stop it from ever happening again!" Octavian was now mumbling to himself once again, "After all, I can't have any accidents happening when I am ruler of Olympus!"

Octavian was brought short by the confused looks from his comrades. Octavian froze, a slight blush forming on his pale cheeks.

"Um, did I say that out loud?"

A little bit away, a fifteen year old boy with sky blue eyes and golden-blonde hair sent them a questioning look, but shruged it off and returned his attention to his friend's heated discussion on the appropriate attire that was required to attend the Coronation. It was clear that she had _much _more to say on the topic than Travis.

"I can't believe I had to take out my highlights!" the girl protested. She had grown a lot since the Valdez family requested her help in healing their younger son, but Lou Ellen had kept her long black hair and bright green eyes. She was dressed in a black, knee length dress and combat boots, for that was as far as her tolerance had gone. However, she did have to make a few sacrifices, such as the bright purple highlight she had recently put in her hair. The fight wasn't pretty.

"Lou, will you give it a break?" another boy in their little group groaned. He had shaggy black hair and green eyes, though he did share a certain resemblance to the two brothers close to them. Maybe it was the similar mischievous glint in his eye.

"No, I will not Cecil!" Lou Ellen retorted, "And don't call me Lou! I don't care if we are dating!"

The boy with the blonde hair rolled his eyes, and looked down at the fourth member of their posse, who had not spoken the entire trip. The boy had been even more stubborn than Lou Ellen, wearing a black leather jacket over a black T-shirt and black pants. His dark brown eyes were hidden under a mop of black hair, and he seemed extremely uncomfortable, like he wanted to be anywhere but where he was now.

"What's wrong, Nico?" asked the blonde.

"Nothing, Will," Nico replied, "Will you stop fussing over me for just two seconds? I haven't shadow traveled in six months!"

"I know," Will replied with a smile, "You have been a good little patient, haven't you?"

Nico sent a glare Will's way, Will responding with laughter.

"Well, do I get a lollipop for being a "good little patient"? Nico asked sarcastically.

"No, they are terrible for your teeth."

"Oh, so now you are a dentist?"

Will shrugged and sent Nico a mysterious look, "Maybe."

Nico sighed at Will's silliness, and returned to his sulking. Will, seeing an opening, gave the younger boy a quick peck on the cheek.

"Is that a good enough award?" Will asked Nico, a triumphant grin on his face.

Said boy was blushing madly. Cecil sent a teasing look at Nico, while Lou Ellen cooed at the cuteness of it all. Will smiled his bright smile, hugging his boyfriend, while Nico just stood there hating everything (especially Will).

Lou Ellen wasn't the only person fangirling, for a little bit away a small couple were giving each other knowing smiles. Piper was wearing a peacock-blue dress and a matching blue feather braided in her hair, while Jason had decided to dress a bit more formal than most of the other boys that came from Camp Demigod by wearing an actual suit (he had gotten many complaints about being too "uptight"). The four others in their group were all walking silently together, taking in the beautiful scenery.

"Ah, Olympus," said Percy, who was attracting many stares by wearing bright, ocean-blue clothes, "It really has been a while, hasn't it?"

"Don't tell me you missed this place," Annabeth said, rolling her eyes.

"Of course not! Camp Demigod will always be my home!"

"Good," said Frank, "Camp Demigod just wouldn't be the same without you."

"Yeah, but it probably would save a few headaches," Jason cut in.

Percy looked mock-offended.

"How dare you insult me like that?" Percy protested, "I am perfectly tolerable! In fact, I shall prove my point!"

Jason started laughing, but was caught short when Percy started to roughly rub his head, tousling his neatly combed hair.

"Hey, stop it!" Jason yelled as he blindly swiped his arms in Percy's general direction (his hair was in his face, therefore blocking his view), "How is this supposed to make you more tolerable!?"

Hazel watched this with slight anxiety, but the rest of the crew seemed to perfectly enjoy the younger blonde's torture. Annabeth and Piper gazed at their boyfriends with a mixture of sympathy, amusement, and affection.

"Piper, I thought you loved me!" Jason yelled, "HELP ME!"

Piper considered it for a moment, and then shook her head while sending Jason a sorry-looking expression.

"I hated that hair-do anyway," Piper said.

Piper's smile turned into disgust when she heard a bunch of giggles from a group of pink-clad girls walking and gossiping past them. Piper shook her head in disapproval.

"I still don't see how I am related to them!" Piper exclaimed.

"We know you are better than all of them," said Annabeth, "For one thing, you don't need makeup to look pretty."

Piper smiled at the complement, but nonetheless frowned when she heard a few words from her half-sisters.

"I just can't _wait _to see the king!"

"Do you think he will like my dress?"

"The young prince should be there, too!"

"I heard that they are hot!"

"I bet they are so _handsome!"_

Piper sighed at their foolishness. She knew the king wasn't planning on marrying soon, and she knew barely anything about the prince, besides the story that was occasionally told at campfire about the time the Valdez family came to the camp in need of their help. The prince had an enchanted burn, though the cause was unknown. At least, that is what they all say. Chiron had called it "classified information", and rumor has it he used the Mist to make those who knew the answer forget. It was a steady topic among the camp and a great conversation starter.

"Well, we shall see how handsome they really are," Piper said to no one in particular.

"Probably much less than they think," Hazel laughed.

The groups all continued on their way towards the looming castle.

Inside the castle itself, the said prince was fast asleep, despite the hour. Harley had long-since taught himself to sleep late, as it killed time. At least it was better than sitting around doing nothing for hours at a time.

Contrary to what the Aphrodite girls had conjured up inside their wildly imaginative minds, Harley was definitely _not _the definition of handsome. At least, not this second. He was snoring loudly, a slight trickle of drool flowing from the corner of his mouth. His curly hair was everywhere, a brown, tangled mess. He looked like he could sleep through a herd of stampeding elephants.

His sweet dreams were interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Harley?" came a voice from outside, "Harley, you have to get up!"

Harley groaned and slightly opened one eye. He rose up to a sitting position and started to stretch.

"Who is it?" he called out to the voice behind the door.

"It's me, Your Highness," Harley distinctly recognized the voice as belonging to Grover, head of the Counsel of Cloven Elders (AKA a bunch of nature freaks that were especially fond of preparing the meals and tending the castle garden. They were the closest Harley would ever get to having friends).

"I'm very sorry, have I woken you?" Grover's voice sounded concerned, though that wasn't a shock to Harley. Though he did have his moments (and those were moments indeed), Grover did get nervous very easily, especially because of the day his two best friends disappeared with the miners and never came back. However, he was a hard worker and a loyal adviser, and Harley was glad he had him.

Reassuring Grover was second nature to Harley.

"Of course not!" Harley replied, trying (and failing) to keep the drowsiness out of his voice. However, his efforts were in vain as his body once again began to relax and he started to snore. This time, however, he was quick to recover.

"Who is it!?"

"Um, still me, Your Highness," Grover replied, and Harley could sense him rolling his eyes from the other side of the door, "You have to get up! Today is the big day! You need to get ready!"

"Oh, of course!" Harley said, racking his brain to remember what kind of occasion could possibly be this important. Had he forgotten Earth Day again?

"Um, ready for what?"

"Your brother's Coronation, Your Highness."

"Oh yeah," Harley said, trying to adjust to the sudden daylight, "My brother's Corner-ation. Right, I knew that!"

Suddenly, Harley's eyes landed on a clean and neatly pressed outfit folded at the end of his bed. It all finally dawned upon him. He let out a gasp, now completely awake.

"Oh my gods! It's Coronation Day!"

Harley ripped the covers off his bed, grabbed his outfit, and was running out of his bedroom in less than two minutes. Harley couldn't help but smile as he grabbed a bewildered Grover and spun him around in his excitement.

"It's Coronation Day!" Harley once again exclaimed, letting those delicious words hit his ears once again.

As Harley ran off again. Grover couldn't help but smile.

Caught up in the moment, Harley started to sing.

_"For years I have waited in the past_

_When the gates would be lifted at long last_

_Because of my older brother's stupid rule!"_

Harley was running through the halls at top speed, turning his head back and forth so fast his neck was plotting his demise. But he couldn't help it. Though he knew the castle by heart, all of the windows had been shut tight, and he was never allowed to leave the castle. Seeing all the servants open the windows wide brought Harley a never-ending sense of joy. Harley quickly ran over to one of the windows.

_"I have roamed these halls for countless years_

_Lived like a ghost, feeding on my fears_

_Of loneliness and hopelessness, so cruel!"_

The feeling of the warm sunshine on his face was almost like a warm hug from his mother. But the thought of his parents right now didn't make him feel sad at all. He had a feeling they were in Elysium right now, smiling up at him. He made sure that his smile was large enough so that they could see it.

_"But the wait is now finally over!_

_And the windows are open wide!_

_I'm all too ready for this wild ride!"_

In one smooth motion, Harley climbed out of the window and placed his foot on a wooden plank suspended by two long ropes. This was the swing that he and Leo had made together. They used to play on it all the time.

Harley didn't even let the thoughts of his brother get to him.

_"'Cause for the first time in forever_

_The town is filled with song!"_

With each line he sang, he pulled downward on the rope that kept him from falling a few stories to his death, slowly but surely making his platform rise.

_"For the first time in forever_

_I can dance the whole night long!"_

Harley was now so high up that he could see the ships arriving from who knew where. Among them, he saw the symbol of Camp Demigod.

_Leo invited _those _people? _Harley thought, his excitement rising, _Maybe I can meet some of them! Those would be some cool friends to have!_

Harley's chest was fit to burst. Harley swung on his tiny swing a few times for good measure, not sure if it was because of ADHD or his elated feeling that filled him up like a balloon.

_"At least now I can see the reason_

_behind my brother's insanity!_

_'Cause for the first time in forever!"_

As Harley held that last note, Harley let go of the rope. His miniature swing-set went plummeting down, Harley completely unfazed by anything. At the last second, before he became a pancake on the ground below, Harley grabbed the rope just in time to slow his descent before he jumped the remaining few feet.

_"We can be together as a family!"_

Harley breathed in the fresh air that only the castle garden could grant him. The plain fact that this small place was _outside_ made it one of Harley's favorite places in the entire castle. He wasn't like the Cloven Elders, who came here just because they loved nature. At least they could leave the castle. This had made Harley envy them and the rest of the servants more than once, though he had never really been angry with them. How could be angry at someone who took care of your every want and need?

A small group of ducks waddled their way towards him; the group was composed of one mother and three ducklings (Harley always wondered who the father was, but it didn't bother him today).

"Hey Pam," he greeted the mother duck, who in turn quacked a response. The ducks had long since acknowledged the names Harley had given them long ago.

"Hi Tiffany." The first duck quacked a hello. "Clara, looking good!"

The second ruffled her feathers in appreciation.

"And _Steve! _What's up, my main man?"

The third duck jumped in to Harley's hands, which Harley had held out as a tiny platform for Steve to stand on.

"Do you know what today is?"

The ducks didn't answer. That must have been a no.

"It's Coronation Day!" Harley said, spinning Steve around a bit in his excitement. The other ducks started to pick up on his mood and started honking like mad. Harley laughed out loud.

"I can go _outside!_" Harley said, giggling slightly, "And Leo had invited so many people! I can't wait to meet everyone!"

Harley suddenly gasped.

"Do you think I will meet... _The _One?"

The ducks didn't reply. Suddenly, they started shaking their heads.

Harley must have expected this.

"Nah," he said, laughing at his own foolishness, "I am much too young to be thinking of finding _true love, _or whatever they call it these days."

Still laughing at how childish the previous thought had been, he bade farewell to his friends and reentered the castle. A delicious aroma suddenly greeted his nostrils, and Harley managed to identify it at once.

_Chocolate, _he thought dreamily.

He followed his nostrils towards the ballroom, where the servants had already set out most of the delicacies. The sight of the beautifully decorated ballroom reminded him of the party, and he was once again gripped with the urge to sing.

_"All these cakes and treats lined up one by one_

_Give the air a sense of celabration!_

_Making me more synched for all the festivities!"_

Harley ran down the food isle, making sure to grab a few chocolates on the way before quickly popping them into his mouth. The delicious flavor melted in his mouth, and he resisted the urge to moan in pleasure. He quickly swallowed before continuing his song.

_"The people will eat, then eat some more_

_Making everyone giddy on the dance floor!_

_Including me, who would be on course number twenty-three!"_

That probability was probably very unlikely (since he would be on be on course fifty-two by then), but to Harley, anything was possible now. Before the servants could catch him sneaking food, he quickly exited the ballroom.

"I'll be back," he said to the empty room.

He entered the Hall of Paintings, and his eyes turned at once to the old grandfather clock. It was five minutes to twelve.

"IT'S TIME!" he suddenly exclaimed, causing all servants close to him to drop whatever they were holding in surprise. Yelling an apology to all of them, he started making his way through the hall.

_"When that old worn down clock strikes twelve_

_The king will give out his command_

_to open up those gates for all the land!"_

He yelled out greeting to all of his favorite paintings, quickly following them up with good-byes. He didn't have time to have conversations with them. It was time to have a conversation with a real person.

_I wonder what we will talk about? _Harley thought to himself, _I guess we'll think of something!_

As he said his last goodbyes, he exited the Hall of Paintings and continued his journey towards the gates.

_"'Cause for the first time in forever_

_They call all see the real me!_

_For the first time in forever_

_I can have some actual company!"_

Harley couldn't help himself from singing the next few words.

_"And maybe if I am lucky_

_I can be noticed as more than just a friend!"_

Harley suddenly stopped in his tracks. How did _that _thought cross his mind?

_Stupid brain! _He thought to himself, a bit annoyed, _I am not getting together with a girl!_

He shuddered a bit, and then tried to steer his song in a direction that suited his fancy better. It didn't work. His heart was completely in control of the song.

_"Cause for the first time in forever_

_I could have a romance that never ends!"_

Finally giving up, Harley stopped singing. Maybe he will meet someone, maybe he won't, and Harley honestly didn't care. All that mattered to him were the gates that were now in his field of vision. His excitement pushed away any unwanted feelings.

_It's time._

A few floors above him, Leo was situated at the balcony that had been graciously added to his bedroom, anxiously peering down at the mob of people approaching the castle. He could hear their excited voices even from here, though he felt exactly the opposite of what they were feeling.

He had gotten up even earlier than Harley to get ready. He was dressed in a formal suit (the same one King Zeus had worn at his own Coronation) and a matching red cape. A crown was settled upon his neatly combed hair, though it was the last time he would be wearing it. A new crown would be placed upon his head at the Coronation. A crown that signified the beginning of his reign of Olympus.

The thought of the Coronation made Leo feel sick.

Leo hadn't wanted to invite so many people. He had wanted a quiet and subtle Coronation with only a select people invited. But his servants had pushed the idea, and insisted on inviting not only the whole kingdom, but neighboring kingdoms as well.

Leo would have never agreed if it wasn't for Harley. Harley had been such a patient and amazing brother to him, and Leo knew how much the loneliness was plaguing him. It broke his heart to have to keep Harley cooped up in the castle, but he didn't have a choice. And despite the unfairness of it all, Harley hadn't complained once.

_If only I was as amazing of a brother as Harley is, _Leo thought sadly, _I don't know what I did to deserve him._

Leo didn't remember the last time he had felt so happy as when one of his servants had told Harley the news, and how the servant described in great detail the excitement and happiness it had brought to Harley. He knew that the entire kingdom felt the same way as Harley. Leo was glad he could make Harley happy.

However, as happy as Harley was about the Coronation, it wasn't Harley's Coronation. Today, Leo would become king of all of Olympus. Today belonged to Leo.

So why wasn't he happy?

Though he had gotten up at the crack of dawn to both physically and mentally prepare himself for his Coronation, he felt far from ready. He had practiced his "formal walking" and his hopefully calm-looking expression for hours, and finally mastered how to strut with royalty and how to mask the panic that seemed to be in the mood for jumping-jacks inside his stomach. However, he still wasn't able to pull off the most important part of his Coronation. The Coronation itself.

Leo would have to hold up a scepter and a tiny box (Leo honestly had no idea what the box was or what was inside of it) while the kingdom said a prayer on his behalf. It wasn't even a long prayer. It was only about ten seconds, and that wasn't that much even for someone who was ADHD.

The problem was, for those ten little seconds, Leo would have to give up his gloves.

By now, the enchanted gloves felt more like a part of his hand instead of a fabric that simply covered them. He wore them even during meals and when he slept. He felt immensely uncomfortable when they weren't snug over his hands, like he was a piece of wood that was drifting out to sea.

_Or going over a waterfall,_ Leo thought, once again acknowledging the summer-salting panic inside his stomach.

However, that tiny little prayer would render him gloveless as he held the scepter and the Box of Destiny. Leo had worked on this most of all, even going so far as to skip meals. He had practically begged the servants organizing the event to skip that one ten-second prayer, though they refused to budge, though they did seem quite upset about refusing him. Therefore, Leo had stopped troubling them, as they had been nothing but good to him for his entire life.

Leo's attention once again returned to the people that were at the moment unofficially sealing his doom. His mixed emotions brought the lyrics from his lips.

_"There they all are_

_To come see me_

_Be the good boy I always have to be."_

Leo turned away from the people. They just intensified Leo's fear, and more fear than normal was the last thing Leo wanted at the moment. Fear meant loosing control of his powers. Intensified fear meant an even greater chance of loosing control of his powers.

His eyes fell upon a candlestick and a toolbox small enough to rest in the palm of his hand. Leo's eyes narrowed as he noticed the melted edges on both. Leo had been using those objects to practice for his Coronation. However, each time he took off his gloves and held the otherwise meaningless objects, his heart-rate would speed up and the objects would start to melt before his very eyes. He couldn't have that at the Coronation. That would give away his secret.

Hoping to get in some last minute practice, Leo royally strutted towards the candlestick and toolbox and tenderly picked them up.

_"Conceal, don't feel!"_

Leo slightly grimaces as he remembered the words he and his father had memorized together.

_"You will be great!"_

Leo's self-lecture wasn't working as the two metal objects he was holding started to melt again. He quickly returned the objects to the table, and the melting stopped at once.

_"Just get it right, before it's all too late!"_

Leo glanced at his hands. It was amazing how much damage his hands caused when everyone else's hands were made for building, not destruction. Leo was quick to return the gloves to their rightful place. Despite how ineffective it was, Leo continued with his self-lecture.

_"Don't you worry, take your time."_

Another voice that Leo couldn't hear sang along with him, unknowingly harmonizing perfectly.

_"Leo, please don't take your time!"_

Harley had finally arrived at the gates, which had two guards stationed by it, awaiting the order from the soon-to-be king.

Leo started walking towards his bedroom door, hoping his next command won't be a death sentence.

_It will all be fine._

_This day is more than fine!_

"Tell the guards to open up," Leo took a deep breath in his singing. Ready or not, the time had come.

_It's time._

"The gates!"

"The gates!" Harley sang as the guards opened the door to let in the people who had been waiting like Harley, though as they entered the castle, Harley shot out of it.

_"For the first time in forever!"_

_"Just stay cool, keep it at bay."_

_"My dreams are about to come true!"_

_"You can do it for one day."_

_"So many people to befriend!"_

_"Conceal."_

_"My brother really did pull through!"_

_"Conceal, don't feel, don't let them know!"_

Leo walked down the hallway towards the stairs, each step taking more effort than the next. As he reached the stairs, Leo adopted the calm smile he had worked so hard on.

Harley was running towards the town at top speed, nimbly dodging everyone. There were many joyous greetings thrown his way, all of which he responded with an equal amount of happiness. The song almost seemed to finish itself.

_"I know it's all temporary_

_So I'll take all that I can get!_

_'Cause for the first time in forever_

_For the first time in forever"_

Harley had made it to the docks. Looking out at the endless sea and breathing in the salty air was better than the castle garden or an endless supply of chocolate.

_"I know my life isn't finished yet!"_

As Harley held that last note, he once again broke out into a run, closing his eyes so that he could feel the warm summer air on his face.

However, his voice caught as he ran headlong into... Harley wasn't sure what it was, because one second he was running without a care in the world, and the next he was teetering to the side, a bucket somehow stuck on his left foot, into a rowboat, which was about to capsize under the unsuspected weight.

But the boat was suddenly caught by a hoof, preventing it from turning over.

Harley blew his brown hair from his eyes, and struggled to gain his bearings. The rider of the horse that had saved him from one nasty swim was obviously who he had run into.

"Hey!" he said, annoyed that the rider hadn't been watching where he/she had been going.

"Oh my gods, I'm so sorry!" the rider said, "Are you hurt?"

Harley raised his eyes to see who he was talking to, and what he saw took his breath away.

**I know, I'm a horrible person! You will find out in due time, don't worry! And thanks for everyone who gave me ideas on who to make Harley's "girlfriend" be! **

**Winekita****: Yeah, I hate writing sad stuff, but I have read so many good angsty stories that I had to write one myself! Don't worry, it won't be all angst. This will be a fun story!**

**Hibernia****: You're constructive criticism means the world to me. Good luck with your writing class, and keep being your writing Nazi self!**

**PixelArtyGirl1****: Your idea wasn't bad at all! It actually really got me thinking, and helped me a lot! Thank you!**

**Awesomegirl****: Thanks for the idea! And yes, Khione is evil. **

**justanothercaleoshipper****: QUICK! GRAB THE DUCK TAPE! I SHALL FIX YOUR HEART! Sorry about the previous sad chapter. I hope this happier chapter makes up for it!**

**The Warty Hogg: ****If you didn't get my message, then I'll tell you now: I have updated the Prologue so that it doesn't include Frozen Heart, and the rest of my songs are parodies. Thanks for the tip! It helps me a lot!**

**QueenMoonlance: ****Thank you! You are so kind!**

**So, that's that! Expect more updates soon! I will try to be a better writer and be more frequent with my updates! You are all amazing for sticking with me! Thank you!**

**YOU ARE AWESOME!**

**Catsrawesome**


	5. Cassidys and Coronations

**Hi! I'm really sorry, but this is a bit short! I hope you still enjoy it! **

_I __must have drowned, _Harley though, a bit dazed,_ I must have fallen into the water, been too dazed from the collision to gain my bearings, not make it to the surface in time, and died._

Because the woman in front of him could only have been an angel.

The girl even looked slightly like a ghost, though the only indication of her being a spirit of the undead was her pearly-white completion. She had long, raven black hair that was tied up in an elegant bun. Light makeup brought out her ocean-blue eyes and full lips, which seemed to attract Harley's eyes towards them like a magnet. She was draped in a knee-length white dress that made her look like she was wearing winter itself. On her head rested a diamond tiara.

The girl was giving Harley a look of deep concern, and as she gracefully dismounted her horse (the horse was a pure white stallion, contributing to the ghostly image the girl gave off) and reached a hand out towards him, presumably to help him up, all he could think of was _girl girl girl girl girl._

"Um," Harley said, struggling to find his voice, "Hi."

_Real smooth, _Harley thought in his head.

"Hello," the girl replied back, a warm smile playing on her lips.

_Her ruby red, full lips._

It took extra effort to pry his eyes away from them again.

"Are you alright? That was one nasty fall."

"No!" Harley said immediately, though he wasn't sure why, as his muscles did ache slightly, "I mean, yes! I mean, I'm fine! Just a bit dazed and disoriented but really I'm great... actually."

Harley's face suddenly felt very warm, and he had a sudden urge to escape into the water below him. He wouldn't be surprised if steam was coming out of his ears.

"Thank goodness," the girl said, and her smile showed that she really meant it. Harley finally took her hand, never breaking eye contact with the beautiful girl. She pulled him up with surprising strength. A long silence went on between the two.

"Oh!" The girl was the first to snap out of her stupor, breaking the silence between them, "Princess Cassidy of the Isles of Quebec." She curtsied before Harley.

_Her name is Cassidy, _Harley thought to himself giddily, _What a beautiful name._

Harley returned Cassidy's kind gesture with a bow, catching on to her idea of introducing themselves. "Prince Harley of Olympus."

Cassidy's eyes flashed with recognition. "Prince?"

Harley started to nod his head sheepishly (he didn't want Cassidy to think of him as some stuck-up pampered prince), but before he could, Cassidy lowered her curtsy with a sudden urgent jerking motion as a sign of deeper respect for Harley. "Your Majesty!"

"Oh, there is no need for such formaliti-WOAH!"

Cassidy's horse must have picked up on how much of an important person Harley was, as she followed her master's suit and bowed her head low to the ground. However, it didn't seem to realize the consequences until too late, as the boat teetered dangerously backwards and brought the prince and princess tumbling on top of each other.

"Ow," Harley said lamely.

Cassidy looked about to apologize (Harley admired how polite she was), though she was interrupted once again as her horse attempted to right her mistake by bringing her hoof down and righting the boat, though that brought the two teens tumbling in the other direction, this time with Harley on top of Cassidy.

"Snowflake," she scolded her horse, an angry expression hardening her soft features, "I'm so sorry about her, she isn't normally like this!"

"Oh, don't worry about it!" Harley said, trying not to blush as he untangled himself from Cassidy and pulled her to her feet, "She looks like a very well trained horse! Did you raise her yourself?"

"Yes, I did," Cassidy said, a small amount of pride lacing her words. Her hard features softened as she stroked her horse's mane.

"Well, you did a very good job."

Cassidy blushed slightly at the complement, and Harley couldn't help but think about how beautiful the rosy color looked on her.

_Then again, any color would look beautiful on her..._

He was once again interrupted from Dreamland with her beautiful voice.

"I want to formally apologize for knocking over the Prince of Olympus with my horse, and... well..." She gestured to the boat they were standing in, as if it had been plotting the whole event all along.

"I told you, don't worry about it!" Harley said, giving her his most genuine smile as he stepped out of the boat, "I have never been much for formalities myself. If you had knocked over my older brother it would have been a bit ugly but-" He was caught short when he came face to face with Snowball. He gave the horse a little scratch behind the ears (Snowball responded with a contented whinny) before continuing.

"But, its okay, since it's just me."

"Just you?" she asked, raising an eyebrow, "What do you mean, just you? It's almost like you're saying you're not much."

The words left Harley before he could stop them.

"Not as much as you."

Cassidy appeared as shocked at Harley.

"Wait, what?" Harley said, a faint blush tinting his cheeks.

Cassidy let out a giggle, her face slowly turning the color of a tomato. Harley suddenly had a strong craving for the vegetable.

_Or is it a fruit?_

The two stared into each other's eyes, the brown clashing the blue. For that small moment, Harley could forget all about his solitude, his loneliness, and Leo. In that small moment, everything was perfect.

It took Harley a full ten seconds to hear the bells.

"The bells," Harley said, his eyes wide as he was brought back to Earth from his fantasy, "The Coronation! I'm sorry! I gotta-" Harley almost tripped on the stairs leading away from the dock, "Woah! I gotta go, I really need to go! Um, bye!"

And with that, Harley ran as fast as his legs could carry him, too panicked to hear the splash that came behind him, for Cassidy's horse had attempted to wave goodbye with the hoof that had been holding the rowboat, which finally decided to capsize and and drop her startled master into the water below.

However, Cassidy couldn't care less about anything else but the handsome prince disappearing into the distance.

* * *

_It's almost over. It's almost over._

These words Leo had repeated in his head for about ten minutes.

However, they were not fulfilling their intended purpose at all. Leo's nerves remained as tense as ever, and sweat continued to build up at a rapid pace on Leo's forehead. His hands shook violently, as if knowing that they would have to give up their only protection all too soon.

The fateful moment seemed to take an eternity to arrive, though it still seemed all too soon when the chorus of voices above Leo came to a halt and the scepter and Box of Destiny were presented before Leo in a velvet cushion by Grover, who had changed out of his regular gardening outfit to a more formal forest-green tux. Leo tried to control his breathing as he reached for the two objects.

He distantly heard Grover subtly clear his throat over the beating of his own heart.

"Your Majesty," he said softly, so that only Leo could hear, "Your gloves?"

Leo inwardly cringed. He had hoped he would be able to get away with the ceremony with them on. He should have known that Grover's beady eyes would pick up on his trick. Giving Grover a stiff nod, he tenderly pulled the fabric off of his fingers.

He immediately felt the difference. The temperature in the room seemed to increase instantaneously. The sweat on Leo's forehead tripled, though he was still not letting it fall. With trembling hands, he held the two objects as if they were coated in poison and turned towards the people, who were rising to their feet at that very moment. Leo took a deep breath.

Let the ten seconds begin.

"Let us now send a prayer to the gods that our rightful ruler shall be blessed with-"

Leo tuned it out, struggling to control the heat that was burning inside him at that very moment.

Eight seconds.

Leo chanced a glance at the two objects in his hands. Sure enough, they were melting at that very moment. He looked away quickly, as if looking at them would speed up the process.

Five seconds.

He looked at his brother, who had his gaze bowed down as he prayed. However, Leo noticed that he sneaked a glance every few seconds towards a girl in a snow-white dress. And... was that girl wet?

Three... two...

"King Leo of-"

Before Grover could even finish his sentence, Leo returned the objects and slipped the gloves back on, letting out the breath he forgot he had been holding.

"-of Olympus!"

The rest of the attendance chorused "King Leo of Olympus!" in Grover's stead, followed by cheers and applause. For the first time that day, Leo smiled a real smile.

It was over.

People were already taking their leave, chatting excitedly to themselves as they made their way to the ballroom. Now that Leo's kingship was official, it was time to celebrate.

Let the party commence.

**ITS PARTY TIME!**

**Expect another update soon! YOU ARE AWESOME!**

**Catsrawesome**


	6. Yogurt, Anyone?

**Wow, this took me WAY too long to write! But it's up, at least!**

**This was really fun to write! I hope I manage to get some laughs out of you with this, or at least a smile. Heck, I really just want this to make your day a little brighter. Enjoy!**

Darkness finally settled as daytime gave into night, though with all the light coming from the cheery kingdom, one could hardly tell. The lack of the sun in the sky had never been so welcoming to the residents of Olympus as it was now, for the moon shining in the sky indicated that the Coronation After-Party was in full swing.

Most would say it had been the best night of their lives.

A band played a cheery little tune as couples danced in complete sync to the catchy beat. Once the last few notes were played, the crowd applauded the talented band members, eager for another song. However, the party was to be temporarily interrupted by the arrival of the king and prince.

Grover stepped up onto the podium, grinning at how beautifully everything was going (and maybe also because of the beautiful girl from Camp Demigod he had met earlier. Juniper, was it?). He gestured to his left, where the newly-Coroneted king was making his way, giving off the air of a majestic lion.

"King Leo of Olympus!"

Leo faced the attenders, who were bowing respectfully. He gave them his best grin, feeling truly happy for the first time that day. Grover then turned his attention to his right.

"Prince Harley of Olympus!"

A figure came rushing up towards Grover, giggling slightly. He gave the crowd a small bow, before adding on a wave as if on second thought. He smiled as two boys in their late teens returned the goofy grin and waved back (_They must be twins, _Harley thought as he spotted the similarities between the two). However, he was brought back from the giddy moment as Grover took him by the shoulders and steered him towards his brother. Harley's grin vanished instantly.

"Oh, up here?" He asked, trying to struggle against Grover's strong grasp in a way that would look like he wasn't struggling, "Um, I don't think that I'm supposed to-"

Harley gave his brother a fearful look, though it went unnoticed by Leo, who was still smiling towards the bowing crowd. Harley bit his lip as he was practically carried to a spot right next to Leo.

"Really, I don't think I'm allowed to- Oh!" Harley was set next to Leo with a bit more force than was necessary, and Harley took a small step away from the king as the crowd rose and applauded. Harley gave the people one last fleeting smile before the music returned and the party continued.

Never had a silence been more awkward.

Harley shot his brother a small glance before quickly turning away, as if he was a fragile vase that would break if Harley so much as looked at him. Tucking a small curl behind his ear, Harley tried to distract himself by watching the dancers.

"Hey."

Harley's eyes widened, almost comically, as he slowly turned around. He almost expected Leo to be having a conversation to one of the guests, so he was genuinely surprised when Leo's attention was directed towards him.

"Are you talking to me?" Harley asked, looking behind him just to make sure. Leo let out a small laugh.

"No, I mean the _other _Harley that's standing beside me," Leo replied, smiling warmly.

"Oh," Harley said, looking away. He should have known. Leo still hated him, so why would he talk to him?

Harley was surprised when Leo's laughing intensified.

"What's so funny?" Harley said, half confused and half angry.

"It was a _joke!" _Leo said, almost doubling over with laughter, "Of course I was talking to you! Who did you think I was talking to?"

"Oh! Sorry..." Harley flushed, embarrassed.

"No need to be sorry," Leo smiled at him once again.

"Okay," Harley said.

Harley once again tried to focus on the party.

"Aren't you going to wish me a 'happy birthday'?"

Harley was once again startled by Leo's voice.

"Oh, of course!" Harley said, still not believing what was happening, "Well, Happy Birthday."

"Thank you."

Another silence followed, though this one was less icy. Harley decided it was his turn to contribute to the conversation.

"I never thought that so many people could be in one place at the same time," Harley said, gazing towards the crowd with a new sense of wonder.

"Yeah," Leo responded, "It's a bit frightening, in my opinion."

"What?" Harley hadn't anticipated that answer, "How is it scary?"

"Well, I'm not really sure myself," Leo responded with a small chuckle, "I guess I don't really like crowds. It makes me feel vulnerable, as if everyone is watching your every move, waiting for you to do something wrong and embarrass yourself."

"Is that why you never talked to me all those years?"

Leo didn't respond for a while, and Harley thought he had messed up when Leo's voice came out as a croak with his answer.

"Yes."

Harley couldn't help himself. He flung his arms around Leo and pulled him into a hug. Leo's eyes widened with the sudden gesture before returning it.

"Thank goodness! I was so worried it was something that I had done!" Harley said, still not letting Leo go, "I thought that you were mad at me, and I didn't know how to fix it!"

Now suddenly understanding, Leo let himself smile, slowly unclenching Harley's arms from around him. The two were aroused from their moment by someone clearing their throat. The two broke apart as they turned towards the crowd, who were all staring at the two. Leo blushed and turned away, while Harley gave the crowd a small wave.

"Carry on!" Harley announced. The crowd was quick to resume their previous activities.

"I've never been so embarrassed," Leo said, though he was laughing.

"It wasn't that bad!" Harley said, "At least it wasn't you with your _girlfriend!"_

Leo blinked.

"But I don't have a girlfriend," Leo replied, confused.

"Not yet," Harley said, giggling slightly, "But with the fine ladies I have seen arrive so far, I wouldn't be too surprised that you will be single much longer!"

Once again, Leo blushed. The very prospect of having a girlfriend or even a wife scared him even more than crowds. It would be someone around him all the time, checking up on him. And that was far from what Leo needed, with the stress of being king and keeping his secret a secret.

Leo tried to steer the topic in a safer direction. He suddenly remembered Harley's not-so-casual glances towards the girl in the white dress, and his grin took on a more evil form. Harley's smile was whipped from his face.

"What about you?" Leo asked casually, "That girl at the Coronation wasn't too bad, was she?"

Harley's eyes widened, and Leo struggled to hold in his snickering. He had missed teasing his brother.

"Um, w-what girl?" Harley stammered, knowing he had walked into one of his brother's traps.

"Oh, you know, the girl in the white dress?" Leo continued, his tone faking innocence and his expression giving him away, "You must remember her, as you practically couldn't take your eyes off of her for more than two seconds."

It was Harley's turn to blush as Leo let out another laugh, and Harley looked ready to counter with some witty comeback until they were interrupted by Grover.

"My lords?"

Leo managed to gain enough self control to stop laughing, and he turned towards Grover and the person next to him, who had yellow-straw like hair and (both Leo and Harley's eyes widened at the same time at this spectacle) a belt of teddy bears over his suit.

"The Yogurt of Camp Demigod."

"AUGUR!"

The other three jumped, as well as a few in close range of the sudden screech from the young man. Teddy Bear Man seemed surprised at his own volume, and sent the king and prince an apologetic look.

"The _A__ugur_ of Camp Demigod, Your Majesty," the man replied, walking up towards the two, "Forgive me for intruding on your conversation, I was just a bit confused. Isn't it customary that the newly Coroneted king of any kingdom should lead the dance?"

"Is it?" Leo asked, turning to Grover.

"That it is, your Majesty," Grover said. Teddy Bear Man flashed a grin, seeming pleased that he knew something the king didn't.

"Though it isn't a tradition in Olympus," Grover added, and the augur seemed shocked. Harley couldn't help but feel a rush of satisfaction. He didn't know why, but he felt a strong dislike for the augur.

"That's a relief," Leo said, exhaling air he didn't know he had been holding, "I couldn't dance one step if my life depended on it."

Teddy Bear Man seemed furious (though whether it was directed towards Leo or himself couldn't be told), and even Grover seemed a bit upset. However, Harley was unlucky enough to be dragged into the situation with Leo's next few words.

"Good thing my brother does!"

Harley shot Leo a look of outmost horror, as Grover and Octavian both broke into grins.

"I know just the girl!" Grover said, grabbing one of Harley's arms.

"Fantastic!" Leo said, clapping his hands together like a six year old on his birthday, "Take him away!"

Octavian, pleased with his hard work, went to linger at the buffet table while Grover yanked Harley towards his doom.

"Sorry," Leo said, though he knew that Harley couldn't hear him. He knew that his brother would thank him later.

"Hey! Stop your shoving, Grover!" Harley said, glaring at him. Harley's attitude seemed to only please Grover more.

"How do you even have this much upper-body strength?" Harley wondered out loud. Grover still didn't answer.

Grover finally let go of Harley, who rubbed his sore arm in relief. However, his relief was shot-lived as Grover grabbed both of his shoulders and steered him in another direction.

"Oh, come on!" Grover laughed a bit at this, shoving Harley with renewed vigor. Just when Harley was about to shout for the guards, Grover gave him one last push, sending him flying into one of the guests. Luckily, he managed to catch the girl before she hit the ground, though he nearly dropped her when he saw those familiar blue eyes.

It was Cassidy.

**I am dying to know what you all are thinking right now, so why not tell me with a nice review? That would brighten up MY day! YOU ARE AWESOME!**

**Catsrawesome**


	7. We Finish Each Others Caramel?

**I had way too much fun writing this chapter!**

**To anyone who follows my stories _I Dare You to Read This _and _Flame Guardian, _you would have learnt that I am off of my hiatus! It was never an intentional thing. I just had trouble writing. It was a personal thing. I had lost my love for writing, and it was killing me inside.**

**I don't know what it was, but I woke up last night feeling the desperate need to start writing. It was 1 in the morning, so there wasn't much I could do except type up a new chapter to one of my stories and then fall asleep, but I went right to work when I woke up today! I'm so sorry I kept you guys waiting, and I appreciate it more than you can imagine! I hope the wait was worth it!**

**This chapter contains a very terribly done parody of "Love is an Open Door", as I am not allowed to post song lyrics on this sight. Some lyrics I kept for the purpose of the story, so any lyrics you recognize from the original song are not mine. They belong to the songwriters for _Frozen. _Any lyrics you don't recognize, or just suck in general, are most likely mine.**

**Also, this song contains fluff and caramel, so beware of cavities!**

The girl was likewise shocked as she fell backwards and was caught just in time to avoid a collision, though her short-lived fear vanished as soon as she made eye-contact with Harley, and she smiled.

Harley barely had the strength to keep holding on to her.

Cassidy had released her hair from her bun, allowing them to flow freely and framing her gorgeous face. Her diamond tiara still rested on top of her raven locks, though its brilliance seemed unnoteworthy compared to the woman it was sitting atop. Cassidy had forsaken her white gown for a bright, sapphire-blue dress that fell straight down like a majestic waterfall, giving more emphasis to her generous bodice and curves (which took a great deal of effort for Harley to tear his eyes off of). Her ocean-blue eyes seemed to glimmer in delight.

Harley gulped, then mustered the courage to smile and finally speak to the beautiful woman in front of him.

"Looks like someone is _falling _for me, huh," Harley said, smiling mischievously.

If he could have done it in an inconspicuous way, he would have had ordered the guards to stab him several times and then throw him into a river of crocodiles.

Cassidy laughed, the sound making Harley feel weak at the knees.

"I guess I am," she replied in the same tone Harley had used before, her eyes twinkling with mischief. Relief flowed through Harley, partially clearing his head and giving him the strength to finally hoist the girl to her feet. He removed his hands from her waist, only to have them grabbed and placed back in their original position by surprisingly strong hands. He stared into the eyes of a smirking princess, shocked at her actions.

"Aren't you going to ask me to dance?" she whispered suggestively, making Harley's heart skip a beat, "After all, we can't have me fall again. I'm going to need you to catch me."

Harley took pride in the fact that it only took him five seconds to recover.

"Yeah, I guess you do."

And with that, he spun her across the dance floor.

The rest of the night became a sapphire-colored blur, three hour's worth of memories filled only with scattered memories of Cassidy. After dancing until a slight limp in Cassidy's step gave away her discomfort, they took a break and decided to try the various pastries. Between bites, Harley learnt that Cassidy's favorite color was, surprisingly, red, her favorite season was winter (she told him stories of her and her sister going sledding and catching snowflakes, during which Harley felt a pang in his heart, as he couldn't even remember the last time him and Leo had hung out together like that), and that she had a soft spot for caramel. Harley wasted no time gathering a large assortment of the best caramel the castle had, much to her delight (though she barely finished a quarter of it). In turn, he told her about his various hobbies, which included horse-back riding and tinkering, the first of which Cassidy shared an interest in and the second she had never tried, but she said that she would love to try it sometime. Harley volunteered to teach her.

Harley developed a love for caramel-filled chocolates.

After they had eaten enough chocolate to make them both regret it in the morning, Harley offered to show Cassidy around the castle, to which she eagerly agreed. After leading her through the castle kitchen and introducing her to the castle chefs (and swiping some more caramel), he led her through the maze of hallways to the Hall of Paintings.

"They're so beautiful!" she exclaimed as she examined the vast collection of art.

"Yeah, this is one of my favorite places in the castle," Harley replied.

"Really? Why is that?" Cassidy asked, head tilting slightly in a way that Harley found incredibly adorable.

"Well, it's usually really quiet in here, and it gives me a lot of time to think and do my own thing. I have my room, but this place is so _vast_ that I feel like I can do practically anything without being disturbed."

Cassidy nodded. "I understand how you feel. Being a princess is nice and all, but it can be difficult dealing with everyone all the time. My favorite place back home is the castle library. It's always so peaceful and quiet there, and there are so many books you can get lost in!"

Harley smiled at the girl's enthusiasm. "There is a library here, as well. I would probably be in there more often, but..."

Harley's voice drifted off, and he looked away, partially embarrassed at what he was about to confess. Cassidy must have picked up on his discomfort, for her eyes softened and she frowned slightly with concern.

"Are you alright?"

"What? Oh! Of course I'm alright!" Harley said, flashing Cassidy a tooth-filled smile to prove his point, "It's just that..."

He sighed, gathering his courage, the smiled sheepishly at the worried girl.

"I can't read."

Cassidy's eyes widened, as if she couldn't begin to believe what the prince had just said.

"What?"

"It's true," said Harley, trying to make light of the situation by chuckling. "I have what the doctors called "dyslexia". The letters become all scrambled up and I can't read them. It's a little better for Greek and Latin, but any other language is impossible to comprehend, even English."

Harley awaited for the look of pity he was sure the princess would give him, but was instead given a look of determination.

"I'm teaching you how to read."

Harley blinked.

"Excuse me?"

"I'm teaching you how to read," she repeated, a smile starting to take shape on her features, "Right now."

"What?" Harley said, still struggling to comprehend what was going on.

"You are going to take me to the castle library, and I am going to teach you how to read," she said, a full-out grin overtaking her features.

"Sorry?"

"Let's go!" she said, taking Harley by the hand as if to lead, though she had no idea where she was going, "Take me to the library!"

Harley, not trusting his mouth to form the words he commanded it, led Cassidy to the vast castle library.

He didn't learn to read that night. However, he did remember that night in the library being filled with laughter and a girl as incomprehensible as the words on the pages in front of him.

But, he was starting to understand both.

* * *

It was almost midnight when Harley mentioned the castle garden, immediately tearing Cassidy's attention from a book about tools and gadgets.

"It's my other favorite place in the castle," he admitted. "When it isn't too hot or too cold, I could sit there for hours. There's this family of ducks that live there, and there are other animals there, too. I haven't formally met them, though."

Cassidy laughed, as if she found the idea of the prince becoming acquainted with a family of ducks immensely amusing.

"Would you be so kind as to introduce me to them?" she asked, a glimmer of excitement returning to her blue eyes.

Harley nodded, then took her by the hand and led her towards the garden, the books laying forgotten on the table.

The garden wasn't too far from the library, but the two did encounter a small group of guards along the way, no doubt looking for the prince. Harley pulled Cassidy behind a wall, barely avoiding the guards and holding in their laughter. The rest of the trip was, unfortunately, not as eventful, but they continued their idle chatter as they made their way to their destination.

"I've never seen flowers before today," Cassidy suddenly confessed.

"Really?" Harley said, surprised, "How come?"

"My kingdom is in an icy climate. There is always snow on the ground, and in winter it falls so hard we can't go outside for fear of wandering too far and getting lost!"

"That's kinda sad," Harley said without thinking, "Not being able to see flowers. They are so beautiful."

"Yeah," Cassidy said, smiling sadly. Harley realized his mistake and in an attempt to make the princess feel better, he added, "Not as pretty as you, though."

Cassidy's eyes widened, as did Harley's, and for a moment Harley thought she was going to scowl and leave. However, what she did was worse.

She laughed.

Harley sputtered indignantly as she laughed that beautiful laugh of hers. He looked away, blushing madly. Now he had really done it. He had gone and embarrassed himself in front of that beautiful, kind, lovely girl. _Again._

He was broken out of his stupor when he felt a soft pair of lips against his cheek.

He turned towards a red-cheeked princess, who was giggling slightly into her hand. The sight, along with his tingling cheek, was enough for a goofy smile to make its way along his face. He suddenly felt brave.

"Hey, I know I just did," Harley said to the girl, rubbing the back of his neck, "but can I tell you something crazy?"

The girl looked up at him, mischief coating every part of her body like a smooth, shiny glaze.

"I love crazy."

Harley grinned at the reply and began to sing.

_"All my life I've never had someone to laugh with like this,_

_and then suddenly I bump into you."_

Harley felt a little foolish at his sudden burst into song, but the feeling vanished as Cassidy joined in.

"I was thinking the same thing! 'Cause, like,

**I've been searching my whole life to find my own place,**

**and maybe it's the books on hammers,**

**or the flowers' pink hue!"**

Harley laughed as she sung along, her voice beautiful and as clear as glass, never missing a single note.

"_But with you!"_

**"But with you! I feel safe!"**

_"My heart will race!"_

**_"And it's something I, can't live without, anymore!"_**

With a final sprint, Harley led the princess towards the garden, throwing the doors wide open.

**_"Love is an open_**

**_do-o-or!_**

**_Love is an open-"_**

**"Door!"**

_"Doo-o-or!"_

**_"Wanna be forevermore-"_**

**"With you!"**

_"With you!"_

**"With you!"**

_"With you!"_

_**"Love is an open door!"**_

They made their way through the garden, the family of ducks quacking in greeting as they ran by, Harley and Cassidy responding with a wave. Harley then showed her the swing he used as a kid, and then familiarized her with the pulling mechanism that takes the swing all the way to the castle roof. At her eager insistence, he pulled the two of them up (with Cassidy holding tightly onto him, it took a great deal more effort than he expected to bring them to the top), the swing creaking in protest at the unexpected weight. But when the couple had finally situated themselves at the top of the roof, Harley deemed the ordeal worth it. He decided to take a mental picture of that moment. A man in a tux with messy, curly locks; a girl with a sapphire dress that seemed to be made of starlight;

a shooting star streaming across the sky.

_"I mean it's crazy!"_

**"What?"**

_"We finish each other's-_

**"Caramel!" **Cassidy reached into Harley's pocket and pulled out a piece of candy wrapped up tight in a napkin, before popping it into her mouth and standing up. Harley would have been annoyed that someone had taken his candy at any other time, but he was too ecstatic at the moment to care too much.

_"That's what I was gonna say!" _

The prince joined the princess a little ways away on the roof, grabbing her hand to help her keep balance (and maybe for other selfish reasons).

_"I've never met someone-"_

**_"Who's thoughts are so much like mine!"_**

"Jinx!" the two said at the same time, linking fingers.

"Jinx again!" they said, once again in perfect sync, linking fingers using their other hands. If Harley was told he would be behaving like a two year old girl a few hours ago, he would have laughed it off. But he hadn't cared too much about such trivial things such as dignity since he had met Cassidy. She was just so perfect. As long as she thought he was okay, how bad could he be?

**_"Our thoughts, our moves, and our singing_**

**_in sync can have but one meaning!"_**

_"You!"  
_

**"And I are-"**

_"just meant-_

**_"To be!"_**

They linked both of their hands together this time, and began a thrilling and highly dangerous dance on the roof. Harley suspected that he was becoming delusional, but isn't that one side effect of being hopelessly in love?

**"Say goodbye!"**

_"Say goodbye!"_

**_"To the pain of the past!_**

**_We don't have to feel it, anymore!_**

**_Love is an open_**

**_Doo-o-o-or!"_**

The two made their way back towards the swing, Harley gently lowering them down, his hands handling the rope to the beat of the music.

**_"Love is an open-"_**

**"Door!"**

_"Dooo-o-or!" _

They reached level ground once again, Harley practically flinging himself off the swing and raising an arm high in the air. Cassidy grabbed both of his hands again, locking them once again in their dance. They may not have been on the roof, but it was just as thrilling to Harley.

**_"Wanna be forevermore!"_**

**"With you!"  
**

_"With you!"_

**"With you!"**

_"With YOU!"_

As they finished up their song, the two sat on the lone bench that stood in the center of the garden that became their world.

**_"Love is an open_**

**_Door."_**

With their last note fading, the two held up their hands and placed them together, like two pieces of a puzzle, forming a heart that framed a flower bed consisting of blue and red flowers. At the conclusion of their song, Harley moved his hand so that it was caressing Cassidy's cheek, then moved to the back of her head, slowly bringing it closer to his. As they made eye contact once more, he thought he would never find a more beautiful shade of blue if his life depended on it.

Their lips met.

Evading the guards, dancing on the rooftop, even exchanging a few words with his brother after countless years, was not as amazing and terrifying as this. Never had Harley kissed a girl before, and he found the experience new and exciting. Cassidy hadn't wasted a moment in wrapping her arms around Harley's neck and responding eagerly. Soon, all thoughts of his brother, the kingdom, even the lyrics he had been singing a few minutes ago, all faded into oblivion as he shared his first kiss with the one he loved.

Because he loved Cassidy like he had never loved anyone before. He loved her with all his heart.

When the need for air called to them, they regretfully broke the kiss, both red in the face and smiling. Harley leaned in close to Cassidy and whispered into her ear.

"Can I say something crazy?"

Cassidy could only giggle and nod. Harley withdrawed from the beautiful girl, stood up, and then bent down on one knee. He knew that he would never find someone he loved as much as the girl in front of him, the girl who's eyes widened and who's hands made their way over her mouth in disbelief and joy.

"Will you marry me?"

Cassidy smiled back, looking more beautiful than ever.

"Can I say something crazier?"

She took the hand outstretched towards her, accepting the life he offered to her.

"Yes!"

**Heartstring86: Thank you! I'm so glad you like it!**

**BlazingFlames22: They will never be as amazing as the original Team Rocket... and no, that was not the Cassidy I had in mind XD. That would be an epic plot twist, though! **

**I also want to give a shout out to a guest who told me that I had accidentally reposted the same chapter twice with different chapter names. All embarrassment aside, I really appreciated that! Believe it or not, I am a human being-**

**Everyone: *GASP***

**SHUT UP AND LET ME SPEAK!**

***clears throat***

**Anyway, any constructive criticism is definitely welcome, as I am eager to improve my writing. Thanks again!**

**YOU ARE AWESOME!**

**Catsrawesome**


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